South Africa’s Electoral Commission Bars Former President Jacob Zuma from General Election
The Electoral Commission of South Africa announced on Thursday that former president Jacob Zuma has been excluded from standing in the upcoming general election scheduled for May 29.
Commission president Mosotho Moepya confirmed the decision, stating that an objection against Zuma’s candidacy had been upheld.
While details of the objection were not disclosed, Moepya indicated that the party nominating Zuma had been informed of the decision, and the possibility of appealing the ruling remains open until April 2.
Zuma, aged 81, was compelled to resign from office in 2018 amidst a cloud of corruption allegations.
Despite this, he has been campaigning for the opposition uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party in an effort to revive his political career and challenge his former party, the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
The upcoming general election is expected to be tense, with the ANC facing the prospect of falling below 50 percent of the vote for the first time since the end of apartheid.
Such an outcome would necessitate the formation of a coalition government to retain power.
The ANC’s declining support can be attributed to factors such as a sluggish economy and widespread allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
The electoral commission cited constitutional provisions stipulating that individuals convicted of offences resulting in a prison sentence exceeding 12 months without the option of a fine are ineligible to stand for election.
Zuma’s 15-month jail sentence in June 2021, stemming from his refusal to testify before a corruption inquiry during his presidency, renders him disqualified from running in the election.
Furthermore, Zuma faces additional charges of corruption related to an arms procurement scandal in the 1990s, further complicating his political ambitions.
