Mozambique elections: Registration problems continue – By Joseph Hanlon

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Mozambique elections: Registration problems continue – By Joseph Hanlon

4:35 CAT | 24 Apr 2019

Homoine, Mubecua, Maiaice. Registration stopped until Sunday due to printer producing cards with incomplete information. Photo courtesy: CIP Eleições

Registration delays continue in Sofala flood zones

Registration is starting slowly in Sofala province, which was badly hit by cyclone Idai and the subsequent flooding.

A week after the start of registration, 36 of 46 registration posts in Nhamatanda district have still not opened, due to a lack of electricity. Posts in Bebedo, Matenga and Nhampoca remain closed.
In Muanza, 30% of posts are not yet open, because some roads are still impassable. Three tractors and 8 motorcycles were used to transport material to Chicandamina 2, Nhancalaza, Bingue and Luanda, which have now opened. Six posts in Chepamimba, Wiriquinzi and Nhamassindzira are still closed. The district has 22 posts.
STAE has promised solar panels for places where cyclone Idai cut electricity lines, but this is happening only slowly. In Beira at least 10 posts have not opened because of lack of electricity: EPC Amilcar Cabral, EPC Munhava Central, EPC Munhava Matope, EPC da Chota..

In Manica province in Machaze, solar panels have not reached EP1 de Macimbe and EPC de Mutando.

Old computers and no electricity plague registration

Widespread problems with registration continue to be reported by our correspondents, with at least one brigade in each of the 153 districts not operating. Registration is done with a compact kit, known as a “mobile ID”, containing a computer, fingerprint reader, camera, and printer. But much of the equipment was used for 2014 elections and is showing its age; there are particular problems with batteries. It also appears that training of brigades did not include enough practice with the equipment, leaving staff unable to deal with problems.

Our correspondents report equipment problems in these districts:

Mecula. The district technical secretariat (STAE – Secretariado Tecnico da Administracao Eleitoral, STAE) reported that four of its 14 posts are not functioning due to equipment breakdown, in Chamba, Matondovela, Gomba and Naulana.

Vanduzi, at EPC (primary school) Saelva. High turnout on the first day, Monday 15 April, but the equipment failed, and there was no registration for six days. The mobile ID and printer were finally repaired yesterday Monday 22 April, and registration resumed.

Mabalane, Muginge. Only 15 people have been registered because of constant equipment faults.

Homoine, Mubecua, Maiaice. Registration stopped until Sunday due to printer producing cards with incomplete information.

Morrumbene, Chissicuane and Chissir, registration stopped 19 and 20 April due of crash of mobile ID.
Panda, EPC Inhassune, constant mobile ID crashes.

Chibuto, EPC Bucuxa, and Limpopo, aldeia comunal Vuto, bairro 4. Registration stopped Saturday because of mobile ID problem.

Mogovolas, EP1 de Muettha. Mobile ID failed on Tuesday, the second day, and registration stopped; a technician only arrived on Sunday.

Nacala Porto, EPC de Metacusa. Printer failed on Saturday.

Electricity and recharging batteries

Recharging the computer batteries remains a problem, either because the batteries are old and do not retain a charge, or because there is simply no way to recharge. Districts with problems include:

In Chiure, Cabo Delgado, 40 of 82 brigades are not working due to lack of power.

STAE district director Belito Daudo is waiting for the arrival of more solar panels. Twenty kits and panels arrived Saturday.

Homoine, EP2 de Bogucha, registration stopped Saturday, and in Massinga, EPC de Queme, registration stopped on Sunday, because of battery problems. .

Material shortages

Posts running our of toner and printer paper have also stopped registration.
Printer toner ran out during the weekend in Inhassoro, EPC de Petane 1 and Marracuene, EPC 12 de Outubro and Post 291.
In Nacala-a-Velha, post 737, Nahavara, there is no material to put plastic coating on the voters cards.

Police demand money in Sussundega

Police are assigned to provide security to registration brigades, but in Sussendenga, Manica, they are demanding 50 to 100 Meticais ($.80-1.60) from citizens who want to register. Local authorities know about this but refuse to act, complained Lazaro Samuel, secretary of Bairro Samora Machel. STAE says it can do nothing, and this is a police matter.

Hyenas, not registration, is the priority

In Massingir, Gaza, EPC de Mavoze, few people are registering. Local people say their priority is to protect their cattle from the hyenas which are coming from the nearby Limpopo national park. The district administrator went to the area today to encourage people to register, and some tried, only to find that the registration equipment was not working.

By Joseph Hanlon

Source: 2019 General Elections - Mozambique Political Process Bulletin