{"id":25178,"date":"2024-03-28T14:34:14","date_gmt":"2024-03-28T18:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/jacob-zuma-barred-from-running-in-south-africa-election\/28\/03\/2024\/"},"modified":"2024-03-28T14:34:14","modified_gmt":"2024-03-28T18:34:14","slug":"jacob-zuma-barred-from-running-in-south-africa-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/jacob-zuma-barred-from-running-in-south-africa-election\/28\/03\/2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacob Zuma barred from running in South Africa election"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Former President Jacob Zuma has been barred from running in South Africa’s general election in May.<\/p>\n

The country’s electoral commission, or IEC, has not given a reason.<\/p>\n

However, his 2021 conviction, and jailing, for contempt of court would appear to disqualify him.<\/p>\n

His backing of the new uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party has been seen as a possible threat to the governing African National Congress (ANC), which has suspended Mr Zuma.<\/p>\n

The 81-year-old served as president from 2009 until 2018, when he had to step down because of corruption allegations.<\/p>\n

Mr Zuma’s new party is named after the ANC’s former military wing, and he sees himself as the true heir to the governing party’s revolutionary roots.<\/p>\n

The ANC had wanted South Africa’s electoral body to deregister MK but this request was rejected on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Mr Zuma was the first name on the MK’s candidate list, but the electoral commission received objections to him potentially becoming a member of the National Assembly.<\/p>\n

“In the case of former President Zuma, yes, we did receive an objection, which has been upheld,” said electoral commission head Mosotho Moepya on Thursday.<\/p>\n

“The party that has nominated him has been informed,” Mr Moepya told journalists.<\/p>\n

Mr Zuma has until 2 April to appeal against the decision.<\/p>\n

The former president received a 15-month prison sentence in 2021 for contempt of court and the constitution says anyone who has had a prison sentence of longer than 12 months is not eligible to run for election.<\/p>\n

Mr Zuma is also facing charges of corruption over a multi-billion dollar arms deal from the 1990s, when he was vice-president.<\/p>\n

The IEC said that the ruling did not prevent the MK party from taking part in the 29 May poll, News24 reports.<\/p>\n

For the first time since the start of the democratic era in 1994, the ANC’s vote share could fall below 50%, according to several opinion polls. The MK party is seen as popular in Mr Zuma’s home region of KwaZulu-Natal.<\/p>\n

More about South Africa’s election:<\/h3>\n

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Former President Jacob Zuma has been barred from running in South Africa’s general election in May. The country’s electoral commission, or IEC,