NAIROBI, Kenya, May 27 – The head of the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM), former President Uhuru Kenyatta, has kicked off a series of high-level meetings in Johannesburg, South Africa, to assess the country’s preparedness for the upcoming General Elections scheduled for this Wednesday.
On Monday, Kenyatta met with the Commissioners of the Electoral Commission of South Africa, led by Chairman Mosotho Moepya, at the Gallagher Convention Centre. During the meeting, the commissioners provided a comprehensive briefing on the commission’s readiness.
“We are here to observe the people of South Africa exercise their democratic right and express their will,” he wrote on X formerly Twitter.
The discussions focused on measures implemented to ensure a smooth, transparent, and credible election process.
He 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, the AUEOM aims to support and enhance the credibility of the electoral process, reinforcing democratic principles and fostering a peaceful and fair election environment,” Kenyatta stated.
The former Kenyan president was appointed by the African Union Commission (AUC) to lead the AUEOM, which consists of sixty short-term observers (STOs) and three Core Team electoral experts.
The mandate of the observer mission is to provide an impartial assessment of the quality of the elections and ensure they meet regional, continental, and international standards for democratic elections.
The Kenyatta-led team will release its preliminary findings and recommendations on the conduct of the elections on May 31.
A final and comprehensive report will be released within two months from the date of the announcement of the final election results.
