Ref: AFED/PR/15/68
The 77th Supreme Council Session of the Africa Federation was specifically convened to discuss and adopt Procedures and Guidelines in the form of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the Function of the Electoral Commissioner in the conduct of elections in the Federation.
The election for the Chairman of the Africa Federation for the term 2016 – 2019 is due before the forthcoming Triennial Conference to be held in April 2016.
The Session was held at Mehfil-e-Abbas, Dar-es-Salaam on Saturday 12th December 2015 and attended by AFED Office Bearers, Trustees, Electoral Commissioner, Councillors from Arusha, Bukoba, Bujumbura, Dar-es-Salaam, Lindi, Kampala, Mombasa, Morogoro, Moshi, Mwanza, Nairobi, Tunduru and Zanzibar. The Secretary General of the World Federation Alhaj Kumail Manji, AFED Board Chairmen & Board Members, Invitees and AFED Secretariat staff were also in attendance. The Session commenced at 10.00 A.M. with the blessings of the verses of the Holy Qurán.
The Chairman in his welcome address thanked all the participants for attending the Emergency Session within a short notice. He informed the Councillors and Invitees that the present Africa Federation Constitution requires the Secretariat of Africa Federation to present the SOP to the Supreme Council for deliberation and adoption. He stressed that this is an important document which will provide guidance to the Electoral Commissioner in the conduct of elections and other related functions of elections. Alhaj Anwarali Dharamsi thanked the President of Dar es Salaam Jamaat, Alhaj Azim Dewji and his managing committee for hosting the 77th Supreme Council Emergency Session at Mehfil-e-Abbas (AS).
The Hon. Secretary, Alhaj Aunali Khalfan introduced the SOP draft document with a brief explanation. Aunali bhai emphasized on the importance of the document and its benefits in order to have smooth process of elections and other related processes contained in the document. He stressed that it was the first time Africa Federation is introducing SOP, and that the document can be improved upon in areas where we experience obstacles or hitches in the future. Amendments, additions etc. can be proposed for inclusion in the future Supreme Council Sessions.
Following the introduction of the document, Councillors were taken through section by section and questions were asked, clarifications were sought and the office bearers provided elaborative explanations to the satisfaction of the Councillors. There was active participation by the Councillors, past Africa Federation leaders and invitees were also given the opportunity to express their views and comments.
After some minor amendments to some clauses, SOP was unanimously adopted by the Councillors.
We are grateful to KSI Jamaat of Dar-es-Salaam for their support and cooperation to host this Session of the Supreme Council at Mehfil-e-Abbas (AS).
We are also very thankful to the President of Dar es Salaam Jamaat, Alhaj Azim Dewji and his team for offering to host the 26th Triennial Conference of Africa Federation in Dar es Salaam in April 2016.
Our sincere appreciation to all the Councillors, Trustees, Board Chairmen, Board Members and Invitees for their attendance, participation and their useful contributions in the deliberations during the Session.
Secretariat