Charlotte Kesson-Smith Appointed Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy Executive Director
- Charlotte Osei has been appointed to a new role at the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy
- Osei, who had been serving on the institute's board, takes over from Baïdessou Soukolgué as of July 1
- The institute said Osei would bring a wealth of governance and institutional experience to the role
Former Electoral Commission chairperson, Charlotte Kesson-Smith, has been appointed the Executive Director of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy (ESID) in an acting capacity.
Kesson-Smith, more popularly known in Ghana as Charlotte Osei, had been serving on the institute's board.
Source: Twitter
In a post on X, she said she was honoured to take up the role effective July 1, succeeding Baïdessou Soukolgué from Chad.
"I look forward to working with the Board, our partners, and the dedicated EISA team to build on this extraordinary legacy."
ESID, in a post on X, said Kesson-Smith would bring a wealth of governance and institutional experience to this new role.
The institute also said its board remains committed to becoming stronger and more impactful.
"We are confident that her leadership will provide stability and strong stewardship during this period."
About the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy
The Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa and Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and supported by field offices across the continent.
It was established to support democratic transition, initially with a focus on contributing to free and fair elections in post-Apartheid South Africa.
The Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy’s early work involved conflict monitoring, mediation, and mitigation strategies around elections.
These early experiences have been beneficial in allowing it to continue this work in many other post-conflict and transitional spaces.
Who is Charlotte Osei?
Kesson-Smith is a lawyer and is also serving as a UN International Elections Commissioner.
She was born on February 1, 1969, in Nigeria, completing her secondary education at the Ghana National College in Cape Coast and her LL.B. Hons at the University of Ghana.
She also holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) from Queen’s University, Canada, and a Master's in Business Leadership (MBL) from the University of South Africa.
Osei was the first woman to serve as Electoral Commission chair but was removed under controversial circumstances and replaced by Jean Mensa.
Source: Facebook
She was removed from office on June 28, 2018, following recommendations by a special committee investigating claims of corruption after a petition.
She was sacked along with her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwa, over alleged incompetence and misappropriation of funds.
Since then, she has worked as an advisor and consultant.
In 2019, the UN appointed Osei as part of the international advisors to support the work of Afghanistan’s electoral management bodies.
She was honoured with the Women of Courage award from the US during her time in office in 2017.
Charlotte Osei opens up about threats
YEN.com.gh previously reported that Kesson-Smith had opened up about threats and personal challenges she faced during her tenure from 2015 to 2018.
She noted that the situation was particularly distressing for her family, who experienced significant emotional strain and were subjected to hostility at the time.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
