Shem Ochuodho Suspended From AU Advisory Body

ICT thought leader Dr Shem Ochuodho has been suspended from Africa Union’s Economic, Social & Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) where he was a member.

ECOSOCC is an advisory organ composed of different social and professional groups of AU Member States. Its work is to provide an opportunity for African Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to play an active role in contributing to the AU’s principles, policies and programmes.

In a press release posted on the organisation’s website, AU said it had suspended Dr Ochuodho alongside other ECOSOCC members after internal investigations found them to have committed misconduct and breach of its legal norms.

“The African Union Commission hereby makes reference to the investigation conducted by the Office of Internal Oversight (010), pursuant to Executive Council Decision EX.CUDec. 1115(XXXVlll) of February 2021, paragraph (ii) which requested “The Commission to conduct an independent investigation by the relevant Department of the Commission into current and future alleged violations of the African Union Code of Ethics and Conduct by members of the ECOSOCC General Assembly, and to recommend appropriate sanctions through the Bureau of the Chairperson of the Commission.

“Having complied with the due process of law, whereby the subjects of investigation were given a right to be heard in relation to the allegations levelled against them, the Investigation Report of the 010 made findings of misconduct/infringement of AU legal norms (violation of Rule 8 of the Rules of Procedure of ECOSOCC and provisions of the AU Code of Ethics and Conduct) against the following subjects of investigation: