NAIROBI, Kenya May 30 – Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has underscored the continental significance of Ethiopia’s upcoming general election as he leads the African Union Election Observation Mission in Addis Ababa.
Uhuru said the vote is important not only for Ethiopians but for Africa as a whole, given Ethiopia’s position as host of the African Union headquarters.
“The election here is important not just for Ethiopia, but for the entire continent. Ethiopia is home to our continental organization, the African Union, and therefore the election here is important not just for Ethiopia, but for the entire continent.”
“So therefore we are very happy to be here, to be amongst our brothers and sisters, and to witness the voting that shall take place on Monday, and ours is really just to call for a peaceful situation, as Ethiopians are known for, and for people to wisely make their choice so that Ethiopia can continue to grow from strength to strength, which would be our dream and our desire as a model for our continent,” he said, expressing optimism about the electoral process.
He noted that the mission’s role is to observe voting and encourage a peaceful environment as Ethiopians head to the polls on Monday.
Kenyatta urged citizens to exercise their democratic rights responsibly and to ensure the election reflects their aspirations for national stability and growth.
He added that a peaceful and credible process would strengthen Ethiopia’s role as a model for continental progress and cooperation.
