CNE warns that only fair elections guarantee stability

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CNE warns that only fair elections guarantee stability

10:46 CAT | 27 Apr 2017

Folha de Maputo / Abdul Carimo

The chairperson of Mozambique’s National Elections Commission (CNE), Abdul Carimo, warned on Wednesday that without fair elections, the country risks instability.

Speaking in Maputo at the first meeting of central and provincial electoral administration bodies to plan for the 2018 municipal elections, Carimo declared that “as electoral authorities, we have an extremely important role to play in maintaining peace and stability in our country, because we have the responsibility to guarantee that elections are free, fair and transparent”.

“Without electoral justice, the risk of instability is clear, we will be discredited, and the legitimacy of those elected to govern will be repeatedly called into question”, he stressed.

Carimo called on all members of the electoral bodies “to work with commitment, selflessness, impartiality and patriotism” and “to show respect for your colleagues and for all those interested in the elections”.

“We must, at all cost, create space so that, in the exercise of our activities, we achieve consensus in all phases of implementing the law”, he said. “It is important to improve our performance at all levels. We must avoid the mistakes of the past, and become ever more upright, professional, exemplary and inclusive, in order to do justice to our motto: ‘For free, fair and transparent elections!’”

The electoral bodies, Carimo added, had the responsibility to prevent conflict, and ensure peace, harmony and political stability.

“Any act that we commit during the electoral process that is contrary to the law can have damaging repercussions and consequences”, he warned.

“We must show everybody, whether they are political parties, the mass media, or citizens in general, that the electoral bodies are serious, upright and honest”, urged Carimo.

The two day meeting must discuss the calendar for all the activities leading up to the municipal elections scheduled for 10 October 2018. It must also notify the three political parties represented in the country’s parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, to appoint their members to the provincial, city and district elections commissions.

These parties are the ruling Frelimo Party, the rebel movement Renamo and the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM).

The commissions are large and unwieldy and, because of amendments made to the electoral legislation in February 2014, they are stuffed full of political appointees.

Each provincial, city or district commission consists of 15 members – three chosen by the ruling Frelimo Party, two by the rebel movement Renamo, one by the MDM (Mozambique Democratic Movement) and nine from civil society.

In addition, the three parties are entitled to appoint staff at every level of the CNE’s executive arm, the Electoral Administration Technical Secretariat (STAE), which is in charge of the nuts and bolts of electoral organization.

The law states that the provincial and district branches of STAE each have a director, two deputy directors, three heads of sectors, and six deputy sector heads (the latter are appointed by the political parties, three by Frelimo, two by Renamo and one by the MDM). For each branch of STAE, there are a further six technical staff members also appointed by the parties in the same proportion.

Source: AIM