Uhuru Kenyatta in Nigeria on election observation mission

Kenya's former president Uhuru Kenyatta arrives in Abuja, Nigeria. PHOTO | OFFICE OF THE FOURTH PRESIDENT OF KENYA

By AGGREY MUTAMBO

More by this Author

Kenya’s former President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday arrived in Abuja, Nigeria, to

lead an African Union election observation mission (AUEOM) in the populous country.

A dispatch from his office said the former Kenyan leader arrived at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to lead a 90-member team of AUEOM who will camp in various parts of the country to observe electoral material distribution, final campaigns, voter tallying and security around elections.

Nigeria is due to conduct Presidential elections on February 25, which will be the country’s seventh general election since independence.

Eighteen candidates are battling it out to succeed retiring President Muhammadu Buhari.

The African Union named Mr Kenyatta a week ago to lead the AUEOM, his second assignment for the continental body since he retired.

“The mission draws its mandate from various AU instruments and will be supported by experts from the African Union Commission (AUC),” a dispatch said.

It comprises of various experts from AU member states and will “engage different stakeholders as well as observe and provide an accurate and impartial assessment of the electoral process in Africa’s most populous country.”

The group will provide an interim report after preliminary results are announced.

Mr Kenyatta, who retired last September, had also been among a trio of mediators who helped Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) reach a peace deal last November last year.