Mozambique: “Sala da Paz” to deploy 5,000 observers during campaign

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Mozambique: “Sala da Paz” to deploy 5,000 observers during campaign

8:40 CAT | 30 Aug 2019

The election campaign kicks off tomorrow Saturday, 31 August, and ends on Saturday, 12 October. [Picture: Sala da Paz]

The Mozambican election observation platform, known as the “Sala da Paz” (Peace Room), announced on Thursday that it intends to deploy about 5,000 observers during the election campaign, which runs from 31 August to 12 October.

Members of the Sala da Paz include some of the best known and most respected NGOs in the country, including the Christian Council of Mozambique, the Bar Association, and the Women’s Forum.

The Sala da Paz hopes to deploy no fewer than 20,700 observers on voting day, 15 October. This will be enough to place an observer at every polling station – but the organisation intends to concentrate on provinces with a history of election violence and serious violations of the electoral legislation, such as Gaza, Tete and Nampula.

During the municipal elections last year, the electoral management bodies created problems for observers in some parts of the country, by illegally delaying the issuing of credentials for observers.

The Sala da Paz hopes this problem has now been overcome, and has applied for accreditation in good time. But the National Elections Commission (CNE) has ruled out one very simple measure – it will not allow observers to use the same credentials that were issued for them to cover the voter registration in April and May. Although many of the observers are exactly the same people who observed the registration, they must all apply for new credentials.

The Sala da Paz issued a statement at its Thursday press conference, urging the leaders of political parties “to do all in their power to promote an environment of peace and harmony”, while party members “should refrain from any acts of violence”.

The CNE and its executive arm, the Electoral Administration Technical Secretariat (STAE), it continued, should “remain vigilant so as to identify any possible cases of electoral crimes. It is important that these bodies should be transparent in their actions, so as to avoid distrust”.

As for the police, the Sala da Paz urged it “to guarantee public safety and tranquillity to all those involved, without discrimination or bias”. During the campaign, the police “should work closely with the political parties in order to guarantee the security of their marches and motorcades”.

Any crimes, the statement added “should be dealt with in accordance with the law, regardless of the party with which the offender may be associated”.

The Sala da Paz urged the media, particularly the public sector media, to ensure that their coverage of the elections is balanced and impartial, and based on “principles of professionalism”.

It urged the main opposition party, the former rebel movement Renamo, to solve its current internal conflict “in order to calm Mozambicans and transmit the message that effective peace will prevail”

Source: AIM