Politics
African Union elections: Nigeria and South Africa vie for influence
A diplomatic source in Addis Ababa dismissed the arguement peddled by South Africa that the southern region has never led the continental body since it was started 49 year ago.
“Tanzania is a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and its national, Salim Ahmed Salim, was the secretary general of the Organization of African Unity for an unprecedented three terms covering a period of 12 years.
In the East African region, Kenya is endorsing Mr Ping on the basis that his candidature is a package that also involves Kenya’s Erastus Mwencha.
In the January elections, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Djibouti voted for Mr Ping, while Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania and South Sudan voted for Ms Zuma.
South Africa is using its economic muscle and military might to provide technical support, military material and financing to South Sudan, Uganda and Burundi. This time around, Burundi has expressed an interest in the post of the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs.
Sources say that the stalemate that was experienced in January could be repeated, because the standoff between Gabon and South Africa is yet to be resolved. This would give the current deputy chair, Mr Mwencha, a chance to act in the interim before a substantive chairperson is elected.
South Africa has been making a last-ditch effort for its candidate to head the African Union Commission and claims to have secured the support of 24 countries, 14 from SADC and 10 from sway states, mainly from Central Africa, whose debts the continent’s economic giant has promised to inherit as well as clearing some of their arrears with the African Union.
