Uhuru Kenyatta, the former president of Kenya, is currently in South Africa to oversee the country’s upcoming general elections on May 29, 2024. In a statement released on Sunday, May 26 2024, Uhuru noted that he was greeted in Johannesburg by officials from the African Union (AU) and High Commissioner Jane Ndurumo.
Uhuru arrived in Johannesburg on Saturday evening, ahead of the elections which are scheduled to take place on Wednesday, May 29, 2024.
Kenyatta, who was nominated by the African Union Commission (AUC) will guide the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) in overseeing the elections.
Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, has agreed to send a short-term AUEOM to South Africa to assess and document the conduct of this election, following invitations extended by the South African government and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa.
The AU stated that the mission will interact with state authorities, the Independent Electoral Commission, political parties, the media, civil society organizations, and international representatives during the upcoming 2024 elections.
Made up of 60 short-term observers (STOs), the AUEOM consists of officials from election management bodies, ambassadors recognized by the African Union, and individuals from African civil society organizations. It also consists of specialists in human rights, gender matters, African election experts, and media affairs, alongside representatives from youth groups.
people queuing to vote
Observers come from 24 nations which include Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo (Kinshasa), Egypt, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
In a statement from the office of the former president, it was mentioned that this appointment represents the continent’s shared efforts to improve the clarity, reliability, and fairness of voting systems across its nations. Election monitoring is very important in protecting voting system integrity by making recommendations and unbiased judgments.
The AUEOM will evaluate using the laws guiding elections in South Africa and the OAU/AU Declaration on Democratic Election Principles, the rules from the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), and the International Declaration of Principles (DoP) for International Election Observation, among other guidelines.
The Mission will collaborate with government representatives, the Independent Electoral Commission, political organizations, journalists, grassroots groups, and international delegates.
The Mission will also engage with other election monitoring teams sent to oversee the 2024 General Elections in South Africa. The Mission will announce its early findings and advice on the management of the elections on May 31, 2024, in a press event held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Kenyans reacted to Uhuru’s South Africa visit and wondered why every leader was leaving the country. The curiosity of Kenyans comes after President William Ruto and Azimio leader, Raila Odinga, were also on a visit earlier this week.
Ruto was on a state visit to the U.S., where he met with President Joe Bidden and First Lady, Jill Biden. Together, they discussed how to strengthen bilateral relations. They focused on security, trade, technology, economic development, and climate change.
Ruto was accompanied by Kenyan comedians like Eddie Butita, cabinet secretaries, governors, and the First Lady, Racheal Ruto. Ruto came back to the country on Friday, May 24, 2024.
On the other hand, Azimio Leader, Raila Odinga, left for the UK on Thursday, May 24, 2024. Raila was going to give a lecture at the University of Oxford, where he was to tackle the theme of “Forging Africa’s Future: An Expedition of Resilience and Renewal.” Odinga, who was also accompanied by Sifuna, was also set to attend an inauguration ceremony of Lilian Seenoi. Seenoi is a Kenyan politician based in Ireland and was elected as the new mayor of Derry.
