Jacob Zuma excluded from presidential election in South Africa
Former South African President Jacob Zuma will not be able to run in the presidential elections scheduled for May, following a decision by the Independent Electoral Commission.
Jacob Zuma, former president of South Africa, is banned from participating in presidential elections scheduled for May. The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) maintained an objection against his candidacy, which records his exclusion from the ballot.
Indeed, although he was nominated as a presidential candidate by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, the South African Constitution prohibits him from running again, having already served a maximum of two presidential terms.
However, the legal situation remains unclear, as Jacob Zuma did not complete his second presidential term, having left power in 2018 before his term ended in 2019. Some experts believe that the Constitutional Court will need to clarify this complex issue.
Jacob Zuma's supporters, particularly those from the MK party, reacted vehemently to his exclusion, promising to “sacrifice their lives” to support their leader. Warnings of the risk of civil war coming from certain political figures underline the extent of the tensions surrounding this decision.