Kenyatta leading AU election observer mission in SA ahead of next week’s polls » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 24 – Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta is in South Africa to lead the African Union Election Observer Mission (AUEOM) ahead of the general elections slated for next Wednesday.

According to a statement released by the African Union Commission (AUC) the former head of State is leading a group of 60 short-term observers composed of ambassadors accredited to the African Union, officials of election management bodies, and members of African civil society organizations.

Likewise, the team will also include African election experts, human rights specialists, gender and media experts as well as representatives of youth organizations.

“The Mission shall interact with state authorities, the Independent Electoral Commission, political parties, the media, civil society organizations, and representatives of the international community. The Mission will also interact with other election observation missions deployed to observe the 2024 General Elections in South Africa,” said AUC in a statement.

AUC chairperson Moussa Faki had in April this year appointed Kenyatta to lead the observer group beginning May 21.

The team’s main responsibility will be to report objectively or evaluate the poll’s quality.

This covers the extent to which the elections’ administration complies with local, national, and international norms for democratic elections. Based on the results, it will also provide suggestions for how to make future elections better.

Part of the cardinal responsibilities of the AUC is to guarantee that the holding of democratic, legitimate, and peaceful elections contributes to the consolidation of democratic governance, peace, and stability in the nation.

The former president had previously led a similar activity in February 2023 at the heights of the Nigeria elections.

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