Two Ghanaians have petitioned the African Union (AU) seeking the removal of the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Keabetswe Mene, citing concerns over xenophobic violence in South Africa and its implications for continental integration.

The petition, submitted to the AU Commission Chairperson, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, and the AfCFTA Council of Ministers, was filed by political activist Solomon Owusu and lawyer Andrew Appiah-Danquah, Esq.

The petitioners argue that the continued leadership of Mr. Mene is “fundamentally incompatible” with the objectives of AfCFTA due to what they describe as South Africa’s persistent failure to protect African nationals from recurring xenophobic attacks.

They maintain that such conditions undermine the moral authority required of a leader heading a flagship Pan-African integration institution.

“This Petition is not motivated by hostility toward Mr. Wamkele Keabetswe Mene as an individual, nor is it founded upon prejudice against the people of the Republic of South Africa,” the document stated.

“Rather, it is rooted in our unwavering commitment to the ideals of Pan-Africanism, continental solidarity, African unity, and the preservation of the moral integrity of Africa’s most ambitious integration project,” it added.

The petitioners contend that the AfCFTA Secretary-General represents a key symbol of African economic integration and must therefore embody not only technical expertise but also moral legitimacy.

They argue that South Africa’s record on xenophobia weakens that symbolic authority, especially in light of reported attacks on nationals from countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Somalia, Malawi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The petition cites incidents involving physical assaults, destruction of property, looting of businesses, intimidation, forced displacement, and loss of life.

It further states that “Africa cannot credibly promote free movement while tolerating hostility toward Africans within one of its most influential member states.”

While acknowledging Mr. Mene’s professional record and contributions to establishing the AfCFTA Secretariat, the petitioners insist that leadership of such an institution requires moral credibility in addition to technical competence.

“Leadership of a flagship Pan-African institution requires more than technical competence. It requires moral authority,” the petition noted.

The petition is asking the African Union to conduct an immediate review of Mr. Mene’s suitability as AfCFTA Secretary-General, establish a high-level inquiry into the impact of xenophobic violence on African integration institutions, consider appointing a replacement from a member state deemed more aligned with Pan-African values, introduce a policy requiring AU institutional leaders to demonstrate commitment to Pan-Africanism and develop a continental framework to monitor xenophobia against Africans within member states.

The African Continental Free Trade Area remains one of the African Union’s flagship economic integration projects, aimed at creating a single continental market for goods and services.

The petition adds a political and ethical dimension to ongoing continental debates about intra-African mobility, xenophobia, and the practical realities of integration in member states.