AU Commission chair election 'suspended'

Jul 18, 2016

The African Union (AU) commission elections are pushed to next year.

The election of a new chairperson of the AU Commission has been suspended, according to reports.

After three rounds of voting, none of the three candidates vying for the top job is understood to have secured the required two-thirds majority.

Each of the three candidates had hoped to replace South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma who is stepping down after four years at the helm.

They are: Uganda's former Vice-President Specioza Wandira Kazibwe, Botswana former Foreign Minister Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi and Equatorial Guinea former Foreign Minister Agapito Mba Mokuy.

Rule 42 of the rules of procedure suggests that the deputy chair takes responsibility in case of suspension of elections.

It is understood that 23 out of 53 voted in favour of Botswana's Pelonomi Benson. Ugandan representative Kazibwe got the least number of votes.

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