Former President Jacob Zuma has been disqualified from running in South Africa’s upcoming general election in May.
The country’s electoral commission has not provided a reason for this decision. However, Zuma’s conviction and imprisonment for contempt of court in 2021 would seemingly disqualify him from candidature.
Zuma’s support for the new uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party posed a potential threat to the ruling African National Congress (ANC), which had suspended him. Zuma held the presidency from 2009 to 2018.
Despite being listed as the top candidate for the MK party, objections were raised against Jacob Zuma potentially becoming a member of the National Assembly. The electoral commission upheld these objections, leading to his disqualification.
The South African constitution states that individuals who have served prison sentences longer than 12 months are ineligible to run for office. Zuma’s 15-month prison term for contempt of court falls under this provision.
The Electoral Commission confirmed that the ruling did not prevent the MK party from participating in the May 29th election.
Several opinion polls suggest that, for the first time since the start of democracy in 1994, the ANC’s vote share could drop below 50%. The MK party is particularly popular in Zuma’s home region of KwaZulu-Natal.