Former President of Kenya and the head of the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM), Uhuru Kenyatta participated in a series of high-level meetings in Johannesburg, South Africa on May 26, 2024.
Uhuru’s office explained that the meetings are to assess the country’s preparedness for the upcoming general elections scheduled for May 29th.
“We are here to observe the people of South Africa exercise their democratic right and express their will. We have no preconceived outcome,” he said.
The former Kenyan president met with the Commissioners of the Electoral Commission of South Africa, led by Chairperson Mosotho Moepya, at the Gallagher Convention Centre.
During the meeting, the commissioners provided a comprehensive briefing on the commission’s preparedness.
They discussed measures put in place to ensure a smooth, transparent, and credible election process.
Additionally, President Uhuru also met with Nelson Muffuh, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in South Africa, as well as representatives from the National Observer Group.
Through these engagements, AUEOM aims to support and enhance the credibility of the electoral process, reinforcing democratic principles and fostering a peaceful and fair election environment.
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Election Observer Missions
Besides, Kenyatta attended a joint meeting with other approved election observer missions, where he outlined the critical role of AUEOM in the upcoming elections.
He emphasized the importance of learning and sharing best practices to enhance democratic processes across the continent.
“We are here to observe and also to learn from other best practices that can be useful to other countries across the continent,” he noted.
He further expressed the mission’s role in endorsing the democratic credentials of South Africa and, by extension, those of Africa as a whole.
AU Appoints Uhuru
The African Union Commission (AUC) appointed President Uhuru to lead the AUEOM, which consists of sixty short-term observers (STOs) and three Core Team electoral experts.
Their mandate is to provide an impartial assessment of the quality of the elections and to ensure they meet regional, continental, and international standards for democratic elections.
In addition to observing the electoral process, the mission underlines AU’s solidarity with South Africa during this critical period.
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The AUEOM aims to contribute to the ongoing consolidation of democratic governance in South Africa to demonstrate its support for democratic, credible, and peaceful elections.
South Africa will be casting their votes to elect a new National Assembly and the Provincial Legislature in each of the nine provinces.
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