Former President Uhuru Kenyatta arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday, February 21, to lead African Union election observation mission (AUEOM) in Nigeria.
Uhuru and the 90-member team of observers donned the golden brown half jackets while addressing the press ahead of Presidential elections scheduled for Saturday February 25.
Uhuru and other African Union election observers were expected to wear the golden brown half jacket until Nigeria's seventh general election is concluded.
Why They Wear Golden Brown Half Jackets and Significance
The golden brown half jacket is synomous with AU election observers. Commonwealth observers wear a light shade of brown and grey half jackets.
One of the major reason us that the attire help them stand out, aiding election stakeholders acknowledge their different roles without clashing.
The colour for designing the half jackets was borrowed from the African Union emblem with palm leaves and interlocking red rings.
In the emblem, the colour is identified as gold, symbolising Africa's wealth and bright future. It also signifies African unity.
The push for a united and peaceful front influenced the decision to pick golden brown half jacket as the official attire for African Union election observers.
According to colour experts, golden brown conveys emotions related to the natural world and connoting organic. In an election set up, golden brown is also preferred as it evokes feelings of warmth and security.
The significance of the colour alligns Uhuru's mission which includes ensuring the security and transparency of an election process.
Election observers are critical in any electioneering period as they help build public confidence and honesty. They also help promote and protect participants' civil and political rights in elections.
"It can lead to the correction of errors or weak practices, even while an election process is still under way," United Nation explained the importance of observers.
In Kenya, African Union (AU) election observers mission during the August 2022 General Election was led by former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma.
The different observers mission lauded Kenya's electoral process while at the same time pointing areas which needed to be corrected in the 2027 General Election.
