By Peter Ochieng
Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta has offered crucial insights and recommendations for South Africa’s electoral process, on the backdrop of the Wednesday general election in the South African nation.
As head of the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM), Kenyatta emphasized the need for enhancing electoral integrity and efficiency, with the mission highlighting several areas for improvement by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
One key area is enhancing the reliability of the Voter Management Device (VMD) to streamline voter verification and eliminate delays, observed in recent elections.
Additionally, the mission recommended strengthening of logistical operations to prevent the late arrival of essential materials on election day.
“Ensuring the timely delivery of these materials is vital for maintaining the flow of the electoral process and preventing disruptions that could undermine the democratic experience,” said the retired President.
Given the introduction of a third ballot and the increased number of registered voters, mission also urged the IEC to increase the number of voting stations, so as to facilitate efficient voter processing, reduce wait times, and ensure that every South African can exercise their democratic right without unnecessary delays.
The Kenyatta led mission urged political parties to actively support and promote female candidates. “Ensuring equitable representation in candidates’ lists and leadership positions is crucial for fostering a more inclusive political environment. This commitment to gender equity reflects broader democratic values and social justice.”
“Overall, our mission notes that the 2024 elections were pivotal for the country’s democratic future and have implications for political stability within South Africa and the sub-region as well as Africa as a whole. South Africans freely exercised their constitutional right to vote and voted peacefully,” added Uhuru.
This comes as South Africa prepares for coalition talks, after ruling African National Congress (ANC) failed to reach the 50% majority mark for the first time since the fall of apartheid, with 97.22% of the votes having already been counted.
It will be the first time the country’s government looks to share power since Nelson Mandela was sworn in as the Country’s first black president in 1994.
Currently ANC’s share of the vote currently stands at 40%. Trailing behind are the Democratic Alliance (DA) on 22%, the MK party led by former President Jacob Zuma on 15% and the EFF with 9%.
The final results are expected over the weekend.