CNE urges Mozambicans to register as voters

Maputo, 14 Mar (AIM) – The Chairperson of Mozambique’s National Elections Commission (CNE), Anglican Bishop Carlos Matsinhe, has urged all Mozambicans of voting age to register as voters, so that they can cast their votes in the presidential, parliamentary and provincial elections scheduled for 9 October.

The CNE expects there will be 16.4 million voters registered for the October elections. But this year only 7.7 million voters will be registered, since 8,723,805 voters were already registered in 2023, prior to the municipal elections of 11 October.

Voter registration starts on Friday and will last until 28 April. Registration will take place over this period in all the districts that do not contain municipalities. The voter rolls in the districts with municipalities will be updated, to include those citizens who were too young to register in 2023, those who have lost their voter cards, and those who have changed address.

A CNE statement, broadcast on Thursday by Matsinhe, urged all Mozambicans aged 18 and above “to participate enthusiastically in the voter registration so that they can vote on 9 October to achieve a better future for our country”.

“Your vote counts for the future of Mozambique”, he declared.

Matsinhe urged the civc education agents and the voter registration brigades themselves “to make every effort to reach all potential voters, with the services that are under your responsibility. Greater flexibility is needed and collaboration among citizens, civic education agents and brigade members”.

A serious headache for the CNE is the activity of jihadist groups in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, which is making the transport of the registration brigades and their material difficult.

Complicating matters are the heavy rains that have been falling in Cabo Delgado, making many roads in the province impassable. As of Wednesday, there were still parts of Cabo Delgado that had not received their registration equipment.

The Cabo Delgado provincial director of STAE (Electoral Administration Technical Secretariat), Cassamo Camal, told the independent daily “O Pais” that there are problems in reaching the northern parts of the province, including Palma and Mocimboa da Praia districts.

To reach these places, Camal said, STAE would have to use aircraft – which will greatly increase the costs of the elections.

(AIM)

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