Former CLA in SADC observer mission to South Africa

Foremost Nigerian female commercial lawyer and Immediate past President of the Common Wealth Lawyers’ Association (CLA), Boma Ozobia was in South Africa yesterday, where she led the team of Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) Lawyers Association Election Observer Mission to observe the 2014 South African General elections.

Boma whose appointment in April to head the mission was communicated via a letter from the SADC Lawyers’ Association, was said to be the most suitable candidate for the association’s election observer mission to South Africa.

Recognised for her role in African and International rights advocacy, the letter signed by the President of the association, Kondwa Sakala-Chibiya, commended her expertise and knowledge of international law, noting that her appointment had followed a careful consideration by the SADCLA executive committee.

“We believe that you will successfully guide the association in activities leading up to, during and after the elections. These activities include but not limited to; observer sensitisation and briefings, meeting with high level government political party and electoral authorities, media briefings, deployment planning, election report writing and generally ensuring that the election observer mission is adequately and professionally managed,” it letter stated. 

The SADC Lawyers’ Association, an independent voluntary organisation of law Societies and Bar Associations of the SADC region, has in the past sent out election observers to follow and monitor election proceedings in Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

The group continues to advance the tenets of democracy around the world, advocating for the independence of the judiciary and upholding human rights principles.

In another development, Max Boqwana and Etienne Barnard of the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) also confirmed that the LSSA set up an observer team of 275 attorneys and candidate attorneys to observe the national elections.