Maputo, 3 Oct (AIM) – “Mais Integridade” (“More Integrity”), the consortium of civil society groups observing the Mozambican elections scheduled for 9 October, has expressed deep concern at the delay in accrediting some of its observers in the central province of Zambezia, so that they can watch the voting.
Zambezia, the second most populous province in the country, is one of the provinces where “Mais Integridade” intends to carry out a parallel vote count.
Such parallel counts are critical for assessing whether an election is honest or fraudulent. In last year’s municipal elections, it was independent parallel counts which proved that the main opposition party, Renamo, had won in Maputo and the neighbouring city of Matola – even though the National Elections Commission (CNE) attributed victory in the two cities to the ruling Frelimo Party.
According to a press release from “Mais Integridade”, more than two weeks ago the consortium submitted, to the Zambezia Provincial Elections Commission (CPE), requests for accreditation for 279 observers.
But by Tuesday evening the CPE had not yet issued the credentials. “Mais Integridade” insisted, and the CPE then promised that it will issue the credentials, but gave no date.
The consortium reported that, in general, during its fifth week the election campaign remained calm. Four cases of violence were reported, in which seven people were injured (six supporters of political parties and one member of the public).
The most significant of these incidents occurred in Alto Molocue (in Zambezia province), where, on the occasion of Armed Forces Day (25 September), clashes between Frelimo and Renamo supporters led to a serious injury to a Frelimo member.
In Mandlakazi (Gaza province) supporters of Frelimo sabotaged the campaign of the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM), and its leader and presidential candidate, Lutero Simango. In Maxixe, in Inhambane province, Frelimo supporters beat up a member of Renamo when motorcades of the two parties crossed paths. In Namarroi (in Zambezia) Frelimo supporters blocked a road so that a motorcade of Podemos could not pass.
There were increased reports this week of Frelimo members illegally collecting voter cards from citizens, which endangers their right to vote unless their cards are returned. These reports came from parts of Tete, Zambezia, Niassa and Nampula provinces.
In the Nampula district of Angoche, voters who gave up their voter cards received in return Frelimo campaign material (T-shirts and caps).
“Mais Integridade” noted the illegal use of publicly owned assets (mainly vehicles) and of staff of the public administration, particularly teachers, in 14 per cent of the events observed. This illegality occurred in 26 per cent of the Frelimo events observed, and in just one per cent of the Renamo and MDM events.
The police were present in 40 per cent of the events organized by political parties. “Mais Integridade” found that in most cases the police behaved in a professional manner, but there were some cases where police action was regarded as “excessive and intimidatory”.
Renamo accused the police of pro-Frelimo bias. It said that, in the central districts of Marromeu and Maringue, the police just watched while Frelimo supporters destroyed Renamo posters and took no action.
(AIM)
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