Former President of Botswana, HE Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, will lead a team of Commonwealth election observers to Ghana for the general elections, scheduled for 7 December 2024. Ghanaians will go to the polls to choose a President and Members of Parliament.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, announced the composition of the 16-person team on 21 November, after receiving an invitation to do so from the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
Thanking the observers, Secretary-General Scotland said:
“The deployment of this observation mission underscores our commitment to supporting democratic processes in Ghana. By providing an impartial assessment of Ghana's electoral process, we aim to further strengthen public trust and civic participation in line with the Commonwealth Charter which recognises ‘the inalienable right of individuals to participate in democratic processes, in particular, through free and fair elections in shaping the society in which they live.”
“Therefore, I thank President Masisi for accepting my invitation to lead this team, and each of the Commonwealth observers for agreeing to undertake this important assignment in contributing to the strengthening of democracy in Ghana.”
The mandate of the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) is to observe the preparations for the election, the polling, counting and results process, and the overall electoral environment. The observers will assess the conduct of the process as a whole and, where appropriate, make recommendations for the strengthening of the electoral system in Ghana.
The observers will determine whether the elections have been conducted according to the standards to which Ghana has committed itself, including domestic law and relevant regional, Commonwealth and other international standards. All observers will act impartially and independently and are bound by the International Declaration of Principles for Election Observation, to which the Commonwealth is a signatory.
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The COG will arrive in Ghana on 29 November and depart on 13 December. Throughout their time in the country, they will be supported by a team from the Commonwealth Secretariat, headed by Abiola Sunmonu, Adviser and Head of the Africa Section.
Members of the Commonwealth Observer Group
Chairperson: HE Mokgweetsi Masisi, former President of Botswana
Commonwealth Observer Group members, in alphabetical order by country name, are:
- Hon Professor Matthew Neuhaus, Former Australian Ambassador and Honorary Professor, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- Professor Effange Dorothy Limunga Njeuma, Member of the Electoral Board, Elections, Cameroon
- Samboujang Njie, Chief Electoral Officer, Independent Electoral Commission of Gambia
- Lady Avril Anande Trotman-Joseph, Former Attorney General and Chairperson, Commonwealth Caribbean Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies, Grenada
- Justice Amraphael Mbogholi Msagha, Retired Judge, Court of Appeal of Kenya
- Ambassador Macharia Kamau, Former Principal Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya
- Dr Khabele Matlosa, Director, Strategic Institute for Research and Dialogue, Lesotho
- Grace Jerry, Executive Director, Inclusive Friends Association, Nigeria
- Kim Allen, Former Chairperson, Commonwealth Youth Council, Papua New Guinea
- Jacqueline Muhongayire, Former Minister of East African Community and Senator, Rwanda
- Dr Fatmatta B. Taqi, Gender Expert and Educationist, Sierra Leone
- Janet Love, Vice Chairperson, Electoral Commission of South Africa
- Deepanjalie Abeywardana, Deputy Director – Verité Media and Politics, Sri Lanka
- Paul O’Grady, International Elections Expert, United Kingdom
- Maureen Nkandu, Former Under-Secretary-General, Public Relations and Engagement, Organisation of Southern Cooperation, Zambia
Media contact
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Temitope Kalejaiye, Public Relations and Engagement Officer, Commonwealth Secretariat
