Mozambique Elections: Constitutional Council rejects appeal by MDM party on Marromeu

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Mozambique Elections: Constitutional Council rejects appeal by MDM party on Marromeu

5:41 CAT | 18 Oct 2024

FILE - MDM campaigning in Marromeu. [File photo: Jornal Moçambique]

The Constitutional Council (CC) of Mozambique has rejected a complaint by the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), the third-largest parliamentary party, about alleged illegalities in the vote count for the general elections held on the 9th in the district of Marromeu.

The CC decided to “deny the appeal filed by the MDM party because the requirements for prior objection and the submission of evidence were not met, confirming the appealed decision of the district court that ruled on the complaint in the first instance, according to the ruling of that judicial body, which Lusa had access to today.

“The Constitutional Council confirms the decision handed down by the honourable judge of the first instance court and declares the appellant’s request unfounded,” the decision, dated October 17, states.

The CC notes that the Marromeu District Court, as a first instance, considered an electoral appeal filed by the MDM to be unfounded, alleging irregularities and illegalities in the intermediate phase of vote counting at some polling stations in three schools in the Marromeu district, Sofala province, central Mozambique.

“The court, by means of the ruling, dismissed the request submitted to that court due to non-compliance with the principle of prior challenge, in the partial counting phase, and due to failure to attach evidence relating to the intermediate counting period”, says the ruling.

The CC stresses that one of the prerequisites for the admissibility of an appeal in electoral disputes is compliance with the obligation of prior challenge.

Despite having rejected the MDM’s complaint, the Constitutional Council noted that the CC “is not unaware and orders that the procedure be followed accordingly”, in relation to the fact that the MDM stated in the appeal “the existence of alleged electoral offences”.

READ: Mozambique Elections: MDM will challenge results – Watch

The general elections of 9 October included the seventh presidential elections – in which the current head of state, Filipe Nyusi, who has reached the limit of two terms, has no longer run – at the same time as the seventh legislative elections and the fourth elections for provincial assemblies and governors.

The CNE has 15 days, after the polls close, to announce the official results of the elections, which is due on 24 October. The CC will then be responsible for proclaiming the results, after it has also concluded its analysis of any appeals, but without a set deadline for this purpose.

The district and provincial election commissions have already completed the vote count, which according to public announcements gives the advantage to the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo, the ruling party) and the presidential candidate supported by the party, Daniel Chapo, with more than 60% of the votes, although presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane disputes these results, citing data from the original voting minutes and notices, which he collects from all over the country.

Venâncio Mondlane assured on Thursday, in Beira, central Mozambique, that after the announcement of the results of the general elections he will appeal to the Constitutional Council.

Source: Lusa