The African Union (AU) on Tuesday confirmed that former Rwandan Prime Minister, Bernard Makuza has been nominated to lead its election observation mission (AUEOM) to Burkina Faso’s general elections.
General elections are scheduled to be held in Burkina Faso on 22 November 2020 to elect a president and members of the National Assembly
The former Rwandan PM took to twitter accepting his nomination.
“It is with humility that I accept to make my contribution with the deployed delegation,” said Makuza who served as President of the Rwandan Senate from 14 October 2014 to 17 October 2019.
He was Prime Minister from 8 March 2000 to 6 October 2011.
Makuza is leading a 30-member AU election observer mission to Burkina Faso, comprising ambassadors from the Permanent Representatives’ Committee of the AU, parliamentarians from the Pan-African Parliament, election administrators, civil society acvitists, independent electoral experts and representatives from academic institutions.
The AU observation mission is expected to issue its preliminary statement based on its observation of Burkina Faso’s upcoming general elections after the close of polling.
Its final report will be made available within two months after the elections.
According to the AU, the objectives of its election observation missions in the West African country is mainly aimed at providing an accurate and impartial assessment and reporting of the quality of elections in the country, including “the degree to which the conduct of the elections meets regional, continental and international standards for democratic elections.”
13 candidates including the incumbent Roch Marc Christian Kabore are vying to be president in Burkina Faso.
CU/as/APA