CNE proposes 14 March for Nampula second round – AIM report

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CNE proposes 14 March for Nampula second round – AIM report

6:39 CAT | 19 Feb 2018

Mozambique’s National Elections Commission (CNE) has proposed to the government the date of 14 March for the run-off second round in the mayoral by-election in the northern city of Nampula, reports Monday’s issue of the independent daily “O Pais”.

The first round, held on 24 January, did not produce an outright winner. Amisse Cololo, the candidate of the ruling Frelimo Party topped the poll, with 44.5 per cent of the votes, following by Paulo Vahanle, of the rebel movement Renamo, with 40.3 per cent. The remaining votes were divided among three other candidates.

Since Mozambican law requires the winning candidate to have over 50 per cent of the vote, a second round must now be held between Cololo and Vahanle, within 30 days of the declaration and validation of the first round result by the Constitutional Council, the highest body in matters of constitutional and electoral law.

The Constitutional Council declared the result on 14 February and so, given that Mozambican elections are always held on a Wednesday, 14 March is the last possible date within the deadline.

Prior to the vote, there will be a ten day election campaign. The CNE proposes that this should begin on 3 March and end on 12 March. The day prior to the vote will be a “day of reflection” during which voters are supposed to make up their minds, and no campaigning is allowed.

The Nampula by-election creates problems for the re-registration of the entire municipal electorate ahead of the nation-wide local elections scheduled for October. The registration is supposed to start on 1 March – but in Nampula this could have been highly confusing. Citizens would have been voting in one election while registering for another. The voter card valid for the by-election will not be valid for the October election..

The CNE is proposing to avoid this problem by postponing the start of registration until later in the month. Two dates have been suggested – 16 March and 20 March – and the government will have to choose between them.

Source: AIM