Maravi

Zuma hails election of ex-wife as AU Commission head

Zuma hails election of ex-wife as AU Commission head
By Mwala Kalaluka in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tue 17 July 2012, 14:00 CAT

SOUTH African President Jacob Zuma says Africa has done the right thing to elect his former wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, as the first woman to head the African Union Commission.

And delegates to the 19th AU Summit in Addis Ababa on Sunday night blocked the two main entrances to the large conference hall at the AU headquarters to catch a glimpse of Dr Dlamini-Zuma but in vain.

The secret ballot for the AU Commission chairperson started at around 17:45 Ethiopian time 16:45 Zambian time inside the plenary hall, with AU chairperson President BoniYayi of Benin declaring that the 1 + 1 rule would apply.

The rule implied that only two delegates from each country could be present during the voting where Zambian President Michael Sata was represented by foreign affairs minister Given Lubinda.

Sources said several delegates that rushed into the Assembly Hall thinking they were going to witness the voting process left the auditorium to wait in the lobby outside for hours following the application of the 1+1 rule.

At around 20:00 hours local time, information started filtering through that Dr Dlamini-Zuma, South Africa's interior minister, had edged the incumbent, Gabon's Dr Jean Ping in the first round but that neither could marshal the required tally.

Out of 54 countries, only 51 cast their ballots in the election, where Dr Dlamini-Zuma also got pole position in the second and third round but again without obtaining the 34 votes required to claim victory.

As per procedure, Dr Ping, who recently accused South Africa of undermining his re-election bid through fabrication of lies, withdrew from the contest to allow Dr Dlamini-Zuma go it alone and she won with a tally of 37 votes, above the required threshold.

In the first round, Dr Dlamini-Zuma polled 27 votes to Dr Ping's 24 votes. In the second round of voting, Dr Dlamini-Zuma got 29 votes to Dr Ping's 22 and in the third round, she polled 33 votes to Dr Ping's 18 votes.

By 22:30 local time, delegates and journalists had already gotten the outcome of the heated election taking place behind closed doors and they converged at the AU's main conference entrances awaiting Dr Dlamini-Zuma's emergence but to no avail.

However, the Ethiopian AU security detail cordoned off the excited crowd at both vantages and the security was intensified when the African leaders started leaving the conference hall through the VIP exit into the Presidential holding room or to their hotels.

President Zuma said in an interview before proceeding into the Presidential holding room that Africa was happy with what had taken place in Addis Ababa that day.

"It is also empowerment of women for your information. For the first time you have a lady leading the AU Commission," said an elated President Zuma who lobbied intensely for his former wife. "It's absolutely correct and I think the AU has done the right thing. Very good, I think not only Southern Africa is happy but the whole of Africa is happy."

Ivorian President Alassane Quatarra described the elections as democratic while Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said he was happy that it was now time for Southern Africa.

"Yes, of course, SADC," said President Mugabe as he made his way through the people.
Rwandese President Paul Kagame described his feelings in two words:
"Very happy." But Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki skirted away from the media while his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni also declined to comment.

President Yayi expressed his felicitations by congratulating Dr Dlamini-Zuma for winning what he called a very important election for Africa.

Election of other AU Commissioners was rescheduled to yesterday but Kenya's Erastus Mwencha retained his position as AU Commission deputy chairperson.

A seemingly relieved Mwencha told The Post when asked to comment on the outcome of the election that he would give interviews later.

The election was seen as a battle of supremacy between the predominantly English-speaking Southern Africa and predominantly French-speaking West Africa, particularly between South Africa and Nigeria.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan who featured prominently at the last AU Summit in Addis Ababa in January was absent this time around.

Labels: AU, JACOB ZUMA, NKOSAZANAA DLAMINI ZUMA

posted by MrK @ 11:14 PM