African Union names Goodluck Jonathan head of Elections Observer Mission to Zambia

Goodluck Jonathan seen to have the credibility and gravitas to head AU election observer mission to Zambia

The African Union (AU) late last week appointed former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to lead its Election Observer Mission to the Zambian presidential and general elections, which are scheduled to take place shortly.

According to a statement posted on the AU’s website, Jonathan would be leading members of the short term mission to join the continental body’s deployment of long term election experts who are already on ground in Zambia.

The statement said the deployment of the African Union Election Observer Mission will take place in 2 phases adding that the first phase comprises the deployment of long term election observers which took place from July 4 to August 22 2016 and it made up for 10 observers.

“For the first time, the AU long term exerts will include election, legal political, media, campaign analysts. The objective is to ensure that the observer mission approaches its work with added professionalism and factual analysis of the legal, political, electoral and campaign aspects of the electoral process in Zambia.
At the second phase of the mission, the long term experts will be joined by Short Term observers from the August 1 to 15 2016. The Short Term Mission will be headed by Goodluck Jonathan, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The African Union Elections Observation Mission draws its mandate from various AU instruments, most importantly:
(a) the African Union Guidelines for Elections Observation and Monitoring Missions (2002);
(b) the OUA/AU Declaration on Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa (2002); African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (1981) and
(c) African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (2007), among others.

Zambia’s incumbent president Edgar Lungu is seeking a 5 year mandate. He has been in office for less than 20 months, having succeeded Michael Sata who died in office in late 2014. His main opponent is Hakainde Hichilema – an entrepreneur and current leader of the opposition United Party for National Development.