AU Appoints Uhuru Kenyatta to Oversee South African 2024 General Election

• Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has been chosen to lead the African Union (AU) Election Observation Mission to South Africa
• Kenyatta’s team is expected to ensure that the 29 May 2024 General Election meets the required standard
• The former Kenyan President’s team will be observing proceedings from 21 May to 3 June 2024

Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered politics and current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.

Former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta will head up the election observer team from the African Union.

Kenyatta to lead AU Mission

A statement from the AU, released a month before the highly contested 29 May 2024 General Election, said the Election Observation Mission would work from 21 May to 3 June 2024.

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Kenyatta’s team is expected to ensure that the South African elections meet the required standards to be deemed democratic. According to SABC News, the AU observers are expected to make recommendations to improve future polls based on their findings.

AU's choice is not welcome

Many netizens are unhappy with the AU’s choice and alluded to Kenyatta coming into the position with a bias.

@tyengeni1954 said:

“Stealing elections is an African thing sponsored by Europe & America.”

@Serame43437578 asked:

“Who appointed him, the American ambassador?”

@nicholar_jiyane added:

“We don't need the people they're sending. Only Russia and China must observe our elections; we belong to Brics, not NATO... he must go back home.”

@AntonPedantic commented:

“The outcome of the South African 2024 elections has already been found to be free and fair.”

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IEC calls for removal of Visvin Reddy and Bonginkosi Khanyile from MK Party candidate list

@Tnyks pointed out:

“He and Ankole met NATO warmongers, and now he is a chosen observer; something is adding up here.”

IEC calls for probe into allegations MK Party forged signatures

Briefly News reported that the IEC planned to probe claims that the MK Party forged signatures during its candidate submission. The IEC said that speedily investigating these allegations was essential in ensuring the country had free and fair elections.

It also admitted that it was impossible to tell whether a signature submitted to the IEC belonged to the person who may have signed.

Source: Briefly News