Former President Uhuru Kenyatta Leads African Union Election Observation Mission in Ethiopia Ahead of June 2026 Polls

AU Deploys 73 Observers to Monitor Ethiopia’s General Elections

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has arrived in Ethiopia to head the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) ahead of the country’s general elections scheduled for June 1, 2026. The African Union announced the deployment of the mission following an official invitation from the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

Speaking upon his arrival in Addis Ababa, Uhuru highlighted the significance of the elections, noting that they are important not only for Ethiopia but for the wider African continent.

“As you know, Ethiopia is home to our continental organisation, the African Union, and therefore the election here is important not just for Ethiopia, but for the entire continent,” he said.

Uhuru emphasized the mission’s commitment to observing a peaceful and credible electoral process, expressing hope that voters will make informed choices to ensure Ethiopia continues to grow and serve as a model for Africa.

“We are very happy to be here amongst our brothers and sisters and to witness the voting that shall take place on Monday. Our call is really for a peaceful situation, as Ethiopians are known for, and for people to wisely make their choice so that Ethiopia can continue to grow from strength,” he said.

The former president also underscored the African Union’s broader role in promoting democracy across the continent through election observation.
“The African Union participates, observes, and monitors various elections across the continent. The objective is to deepen democracy and learn from each other. Ultimately, through various mechanisms that the AU has, countries can exchange ideas based on the experiences of different countries,” he added.

The AU mission comprises 73 short-term observers from 37 African countries, including ambassadors accredited to the AU, election management officials, civil society representatives, election experts, human rights specialists, and youth and media experts. Observers will be deployed across various regions in Ethiopia to monitor key stages of the electoral process, including polling station openings, voting, closing, and the counting and tabulation of votes.

The African Union emphasized that such missions are part of ongoing efforts to promote democratic governance, credible elections, and political stability across its member states. Preliminary findings from the mission are expected shortly after polling, with a comprehensive final report to follow, detailing the conduct of the elections and the AU’s observations.