Jacob Zuma, the former President of South Africa, has been permitted to contest the upcoming election by the country’s electoral court, overturning a previous decision made by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) last month.
The IEC had initially barred Zuma from participating in the election due to his criminal record, which includes a 15-month imprisonment sentence in 2021 for contempt of court. This sentence was a result of Zuma’s refusal to appear before a commission investigating corruption allegations during his presidential term from 2009 to 2018.
However, the electoral court has now dismissed the objection against Zuma’s candidacy, allowing him to run for the presidency on behalf of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, which he founded in 2022 after leaving the African National Congress (ANC).
The election, scheduled for May 29, is expected to be highly competitive, and analysts believe that the MK party may attract significant support due to Zuma’s popularity, potentially cutting into the vote share of the already struggling ruling ANC.
