Notwithstanding a Ushs2.5 billion kitty of Ugandan taxpayers’ money, former Vice-President Specioza Wandira Kazibwe has not done enough to impress the African heads of state, or their representatives, who Monday refused to elect her as new chairperson of the AU commission.
Kazibwe performed miserably in her bid after she got least number of votes (10) while Dr Pelonomi got highest number of votes but abstention from 28 states stripped her of requisite 2/3 majority to replace South Africa’s Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. The other candidate was Equatorial Guinea’s former Foreign Minister Agapito Mba Mokuy.
For a candidate to be declared winner, they have to secure two thirds of weight from all the leaders. This equally applies even if the race has a sole candidate.
Sources say at the last minute, Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) fielded a candidate. They had also raised objections about the quality of candidates lined up as her possible successors.
Election of new AU chairperson pushed to January 2017.The spokesperson for the current head of the AU broke the news (with a papal election reference):
