Two Ghanaians have petitioned the African Union to remove the Secretary-General for African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Keabetswe Mene.
They cite what they call a contradiction between his nationality and the trade bloc’s integration goals amid recurring xenophobic violence in South Africa.
The petition, addressed to the AU Commission Chairperson, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, and the AfCFTA Council of Ministers, was filed by political activist Solomon Owusu and lawyer Andrew Appiah-Danquah, Esq.
It argued that Mene’s continued leadership has become “fundamentally incompatible with the objectives, values, and aspirations of the AfCFTA” due to what the petitioners describe as South Africa’s “persistent and widely documented failure to protect fellow Africans from recurring xenophobic violence within its borders.”
The document stressed that the action is not driven by personal hostility toward Mene or prejudice against South Africans.
“This Petition is not motivated by hostility toward Mr. Wamkele Keabetswe Mene as an individual, nor is it founded upon prejudice against the people of the Republic of South Africa,” it stated.
It continued: “Rather, it is rooted in our unwavering commitment to the ideals of Pan-Africanism, continental solidarity, African unity, and the preservation of the moral integrity of Africa’s most ambitious integration project.”
According to the petitioners, the AfCFTA Secretary-General serves as “one of the principal symbols of African integration” and must therefore possess moral authority beyond technical competence.
They contended that South Africa’s record on xenophobia undermines that authority.
The petition read that “Africa cannot credibly promote free movement while tolerating hostility toward Africans within one of its most influential member states,” and cited attacks on citizens of Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Somalia, Malawi, and the DRC involving physical assaults, destruction of property, looting of businesses, forced displacement, intimidation, and loss of life.
While acknowledging Mene’s “professional accomplishments” and “contributions to the establishment and administration of the AfCFTA Secretariat,” the petition maintained that leadership of a flagship Pan-African institution requires more than technical skill.
“Leadership of a flagship Pan-African institution requires more than technical competence. It requires moral authority,” it mentioned.
The petition asked the AU to institute an immediate review of Mene’s continued suitability as Secretary-General, establish a high-level inquiry into the implications of persistent xenophobic violence in South Africa for African integration institutions, and consider appointing a replacement from a member state whose record and public image more closely align with Pan-African solidarity.
It further called for a formal policy requiring AU institution leaders to demonstrate commitment to Pan-Africanism, and for a continental framework to monitor xenophobia against Africans in member states.
