19 Jul 2016

Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi was the most popular candidate for the African Union (AU) Commission chairpersonship with 23 votes during the AU Summit of Heads of State and Government in Rwanda.

Even though Dr Venson-Moitoi, also the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, garnered less than the mandatory two thirds required for the seat, she beat competitors from Uganda, Dr Specioza Kazibwe and Equitorial Guinea’s Mr Mukoy.

She needed at least 35 votes out of 53, to win the AU Commission chairpersonship. However, Dr Venson-Moitoi did not state whether she will contest again during the next summit in January 2017 when elections will be held again.

The election process was characterised by unclear intentions of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) who attempted to delay the elections but in the end a total of 53 out of 54 AU member states participated in the voting process while 28 abstained from voting.

In an interview, Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi said the elections were conducted in a fair, transparent and credible manner. He said as per the rules, the assembly representing various governments elected electronically explaining that procedurally, elections should take only three rounds should the two thirds majority vote required not be garnered during the first round.

He said during the fourth round, a candidate with least votes from Uganda dropped out while after round four, five and six, Equatorial Guinea also dropped out leaving Dr Venson-Moitoi alone in the competition at the seventh round even though she could not still garner the two thirds majority votes.

“As for the rules, it meant that the chairperson suspends elections until the next summit,” he said.

He said during the summit, there emerged a worrying development when it was announced ahead of elections that the ECOWAS had written a letter to the AU chairperson asking for postponement of elections, so they could admit new candidates.

He said the 28 who abstained only wanted the candidate not to attain the two thirds majority votes thereby leading to postponement of elections. ENDS