By Bonface Mulyungi

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has underscored the importance of strengthening democracy across Africa, saying credible elections are critical in ensuring citizens enjoy representation, inclusion and the freedom to choose their leaders.

Speaking in Ethiopia while leading the African Union Election Observation Mission during the country’s June 1, 2026 General Election, Uhuru said the voting process had started smoothly, with polling materials in place and voters arriving early to cast their ballots.

“We found all the materials are here. We found voters patiently waiting to begin voting. So, initial thought is the process has started, and we will continue to monitor during the course of the day,” Uhuru said after visiting polling stations shortly after voting commenced.

The former president noted that the election process appeared orderly and expressed hope that it would continue smoothly throughout the day.

“It is moving. It is flowing. And we hope it continues like that for the rest of the day,” he said.

Uhuru, who is leading the African Union observer mission, said democracy remains a key pillar for development and governance across the continent.

He acknowledged that elections across Africa sometimes face challenges but stressed the need for continuous improvement to strengthen democratic institutions and public confidence in electoral processes.

“Democracy is something that we, as Africans, seek to strengthen and entrench across the continent so that people can enjoy true representation, feel included in governance, and have the opportunity to elect leaders of their choice,” he said.

“We agree that in some instances there are challenges, but we hope that with each election, we can become better and better as we move along.”

Uhuru highlighted Ethiopia’s strategic importance as host of the African Union headquarters, saying a successful election in the country would send a positive message across the continent.

Earlier, African Union election observers led by Uhuru began their observation duties shortly before polling stations officially opened across the country.

Addressing journalists after the morning assessment, Kenyatta expressed optimism that the electoral process would remain peaceful, orderly and credible throughout the day, reiterating the African Union’s commitment to promoting democratic governance, inclusion and accountable leadership across Africa.

The mission is expected to continue monitoring voting, vote counting and other electoral processes before issuing its preliminary findings on the conduct of the election.