Former South African President Jacob Zuma barred from running in May elections

Cape Town: The electoral commission said former South African President Jacob Zuma has been barred from contesting the upcoming elections in May, Al Jazeera reported.
South Africa will hold general elections on May 29 in what is expected to be the most competitive vote since the end of apartheid in 1994.

According to Al Jazeera, former President Zuma will run for the recently formed UMkhonto weSizwe (MK) (Spear of the Nation) party in 2021 in an effort to restart his career after being jailed for contempt of court. Are promoting.

Reason behind stopping from contesting elections

“In the case of former President Zuma, yes, we received an objection, which has been upheld,” Electoral Commission chair Mosotho Moepya said.

“The party that nominated him has been informed” and those who objected to the move have also been informed, he said.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) is on the verge of falling below 50 percent for the first time since coming to power in 1994, Al Jazeera reports.

Benefits of this action

The party needs support amid the weak economy and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
Reportedly, if the ANC remains safely below the 50 per cent threshold, it will force the party, once led by Nelson Mandela, to form a coalition to remain in office.

Notably, Zuma's tenure ended with corruption allegations in 2018 when incumbent Cyril Ramaphosa replaced him.

Zuma's jail term

He was later sentenced to 15 months in prison in June 2021 after refusing to testify for a panel investigating financial corruption and cronyism under his chairmanship, Al Jazeera reported.

His jailing led to protests, riots and looting that left more than 350 people dead. Later, he was released on medical parole after just two months of his term.

An appeals court later ruled that Zuma's release was granted illegally and ordered him returned to prison, Al Jazeera reported.

But upon returning to the correctional centre, he immediately benefited from the sentencing of non-violent criminals approved by Ramaphosa.

Guidance from Election Commission

The Election Commission said in a statement that under the constitution, “any person who has been convicted of an offense and sentenced to imprisonment for more than 12 months without the option of a fine” cannot stand for election. .

Additionally, Zuma is also facing corruption charges in an arms procurement scandal when he was vice president in the 1990s.