Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has traveled to Ethiopia to lead the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) prior to the nation’s general elections scheduled for June 1, 2026.
The African Union announced the deployment of the mission following an invitation from the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, with Uhuru designated as its head.
The mission will monitor the electoral process and evaluate the conduct of the polls in accordance with continental and international democratic standards.
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in Addis Ababa, Uhuru emphasized the importance of the elections not only for Ethiopia but also for the broader African continent.
“As you know, Ethiopia hosts our continental organization, the African Union, and therefore the election here matters not just for Ethiopia, but for the entire continent,” he stated.
The leader expressed that the mission was looking forward to observing the voting process and voiced hope for a peaceful exercise.
“We are delighted to be here among our brothers and sisters to witness the voting that will take place on Monday,” he said.
“Our appeal is for a peaceful environment, as Ethiopians are known for, and for citizens to make wise choices so that Ethiopia can continue to grow stronger, which would be our aspiration and our desire as a model for our continent.”
The former Head of State also highlighted the broader role played by the African Union in election observation across the continent.
“The African Union participates, observes, and monitors various elections throughout the continent. The aim is to enhance democracy,” he said.
“The objective is to learn from one another. Ultimately, through various mechanisms that the AU has, countries can exchange ideas based on the experiences of different nations.”
He concluded by wishing Ethiopia success as it prepares for the polls.
According to the African Union, the mission consists of 73 short-term observers from 37 African countries.
The delegation includes ambassadors accredited to the African Union, election management officials, civil society representatives, election experts, human rights specialists, gender and media experts, as well as youth representatives.
The observers will be deployed across various regions of Ethiopia to monitor key stages of the electoral process on polling day.
Their responsibilities will include observing the opening of polling stations, voting procedures, the closing of polls, and the counting and tabulation of votes.
The African Union stated that the observation mission is part of its ongoing efforts to promote democratic governance, credible elections and political stability across member states.
Election observation missions are regularly deployed by the continental body to provide an independent assessment of electoral processes and assist member states in strengthening democratic institutions.
The AU mission is expected to release preliminary findings after polling before issuing a comprehensive final report on the conduct of the elections and its observations.