AU Commission Chair Elections suspended

Jean Ping

From ASSAH MWAMBENE in Addis Ababa

The Election of the African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson has been suspended after no winner emerged despite several rounds of voting between the incumbent Dr Jean Ping and  South Africa's Home Affairs Minister Nkosozana Dlamini-Zuma.

The suspension of the elections by this year's 18th AU Summit, means that the Deputy Chairperson, Erastus Mwencha will act as interim Chairperson until fresh elections are conducted in June this year.

In what is being described as the tightest race ever for the AU Commission's top post, the South  African dropped out after losing the third round as stipulated by the  African Union Constituve Act.

Nkosozana Dlamini-Zuma

After the  Mama  Zuma drop out, yet the incumbent, Jean Ping failed to obtain the number of votes needed (32) for him to win a second term. Dr Jean Ping served the Union Commission  the period of two years.

Ping, from Gabon, won the first round 28-25, but did not get enough votes to secure his re-election to the Africa's top most body in the continent for failing to meet the two third majority of 32 countries against 53  voting countries.

Dlamini-Zuma won the second round with a single vote margin of 27-26, but lost the third round  29-24 and then pulled out.