The African Union Commission (AUC) has appointed retired President Uhuru Kenyatta to lead a team of observers for the upcoming general election in South Africa.
President Uhuru will head the AU Election Observation Mission (AUEOM), which will be active in South Africa from May 21 to June 30.
South Africa is preparing to hold its general election on May 29.
President Uhuru’s team will consist of 60 short-term observers (STOs) and three Core Team electoral experts.
The primary mandate of the team is to provide impartial reporting on the quality of the poll, assessing whether the conduct of the elections meets regional, continental, and international standards for democratic elections.
Additionally, the team will offer recommendations for the improvement of future elections based on its findings.
“The AUEOM will engage with several stakeholders and observe the final preparations and polling process. Based on the findings, it will issue its preliminary statement after election day,” the statement reads.
The observer mission aims to demonstrate the AU’s solidarity and support for South Africa’s elections and democratization process, ensuring that democratic, credible, and peaceful elections contribute to the consolidation of democratic governance, peace, and stability in the country.
The observer mission draws its mandate from various AU instruments, notably the AU guidelines for elections observation and monitoring missions (2002), and the OUA/AU Declaration on Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa (2002).
It also aligns with the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (1981) and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (2007).
AUEOM further aligns with Aspiration 3 of the AU Agenda 2063, which aims to ensure good governance, democracy, and respect for human rights, justice, and the rule of law.
