African Union Commission to decide Dlamini Zuma’s successor

Outgoing chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. (Photo Courtesy)

Today the African Union Commission goes to the polls to elect a successor to its outgoing chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma of South Africa. Five candidates have shown interest in the seat, among them Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed.

Kenya has spent time and resources in ensuring that Amina clinches the seat, but the final outcome will determine whether the effort has paid dividends.

The issue, however, is not who gets elected, but rather, how effective will the new chairperson be in steering Africa on the right course to the realisation of vision 2063, Africa’s economic blueprint.

Will the new chairperson be effective in stabilising political trouble spots, particularly Somalia, South Sudan, Congo and Burundi? A few African countries have shown interest in pulling out of the ICC, but that should not be the overriding concern. Improving Africa’s economic prospects and raising the living standards of its people is of greater concern.

Factors that hinder agricultural productivity like climate change, poor policies and political upheavals from poor leadership should be addressed. Every effort must be put in place to ensure democracy is entrenched and constitutions respected. Ecowas has shown the way forward in the manner in which it handled the crisis in Gambia without bloodshed.