A South African court has granted former President Jacob Zuma clearance to contest in the country’s upcoming general election.
The Electoral Court’s decision on Tuesday clears the path for Zuma to run for president representing the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK), a political organisation he joined last year after distancing himself from the governing African National Congress party, which he once led.
Initially, the electoral commission had barred Zuma from running for office due to his criminal record following an objection to his candidacy.
“The decision of the Electoral Commission… is set aside,” the court stated in its ruling.
South Africa is scheduled to hold a general election on May 29, which is anticipated to be the most competitive vote since the country’s transition to democracy in 1994.
Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in jail in June 2021 for contempt of court after he declined to testify before a panel investigating financial corruption and cronyism during his presidency.
Zuma’s legal team argued on Monday that the sentence should not disqualify the veteran politician from running, as it resulted from civil rather than criminal proceedings and had been reduced through remission.
The ruling comes at a time when the ANC is facing challenges in the polls due to a sluggish economy and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
Some opinion polls suggest that MK could garner over 10 percent of the vote nationwide, positioning it as the third or fourth political force behind the ANC and the liberal Democratic Alliance.
The party is expected to perform well in the key region of KwaZulu-Natal, Zuma’s home province, largely due to Zuma’s enduring political influence. Despite facing scandals and corruption accusations, Zuma remains popular, particularly among South Africa’s more than 10 million Zulu population.
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