Charlotte Osei Head Elections In Afghanistan

Fmr. Ghana EC Boss, Shallot Ossei

The immediate past Chairperson of Electoral Commission, Mrs. Charlotte Kesson-Smith Osei has been appointed by the United Nations (UN) to head the upcoming electoral process in Afghanistan, ModernGhana has learnt.

Mrs. Osei’s appointment was confirmed by a Presidential Decree issued by the President of Afghanistan, HE Ashraf Ghani.

The United Nations appointed her as an International Elections Commissioner to Afghanistan, as the South Asian country prepares to hold crucial Presidential polls in September 2019.

Mrs. Osei is expected to join a team of other UN-appointed election experts from around the world to provide much needed technical support, capacity building and electoral best practice advice to the Election Complaints Commission and the Independent Electoral Commission charged with delivering a peaceful democratic process and credible elections.

Mrs. Osei has extensive legal credentials and electoral management experience, making her well-placed to take on this challenging role, which is critical to successful, free and fair democratic elections in Afghanistan.

Charlotte Kesson-Smith Osei (born 1 February 1969) is a Ghanaian lawyer and former chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana from 2015 until she was dismissed in June 2018 on grounds of financial malfeasance.

Her dismissal has been challenged in the Supreme Court of Ghana by two separate writs. She became the first female to serve in the office of the Electoral Commission of Ghana since the independence of Ghana.

Before her appointment she was the chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).