Lions, long treks and watching how teachers vote: Mozambique elections – By Joseph Hanlon

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Lions, long treks and watching how teachers vote: Mozambique elections – By Joseph Hanlon

3:55 CAT | 10 May 2019

Nguzi, Mecanhelas, registration post (Niassa province) paralysed since May 1st because the printer broke down. Photo: CIP Eleições

Lions and long treks part of the job for some registration brigades

Most registration posts have been are running smoothly, in part due to extra efforts by registration brigades coping with the equipment problems and lack of solar panels.

There is no solar panel at EP1 de Luazi, Mugovolas, Nampula and no way to charge the computer. The nearest electricity is 7 km away at Nhamhupo Rio. To keep registering voters, two brigade members go by bicycle or motorcycle each night to Nhambupo Rio to recharge the computer batteries. Dionisio Antonio, who does the data input, notes that they are accompanied by the police agent to maintain security. He notes that they have talked to the district STAE several times and each time they say a solar panel will arrive tomorrow, but so far tomorrow has not come. So to keep the registration post open, Dionisio and his colleagues still go 14 km per day to recharge the battery

Registration resumes in Mocimboa da Praia

Insurgent attacks stopped registration at nine posts in Mocimboa da Praia, but all 39 posts in the district are now open.

Do the lions want to vote?

A mobile brigade has been unable to reach the village of Nhamanguquere, Dondo, 10 km from the Gorongosa Park, because they are afraid of the lions and hyenas that commonly come near the village.

Civil Servants forced to register at special posts

Citizens are supposed to register at the post closest to their home, according to the law. But in various places across the country, civil servants, particularly teachers, has been instructed to register at particular posts. Often it is school directors giving this illegal instruction – apparently with the intentions of controlling how teachers vote.

In Zambezia, in Molumbo district in the locality of Massilone, civil servants have been told to register at the only post in Nantuto. Many of them work in Massilone but live in the main town of Molumbo.

In Inhassunge, Zambezia, at EPC Eduardo Mondlane, all teachers have been ordered to present their voters card to the director.

In Macate, Manica, teachers at EPC de Marera were told by the director to register at the school, even though many live in others areas and commute each day to the school. One teacher said the director said he had received orders “from above”.

This also happened in 2018, for example Quelimane teachers were all told to register at the Industrial Institute.

Register before you eat

In Nhamatanda, Sofala, one of the worst hit by flooding caused by cyclone Idai, community leaders are demanding that affected people show their voters card to receive donations. This was started Thursday last week and had the desired effected, with longer queues at registration posts on Friday, reports our correspondent.

Multiple registrations

In Nzanza, Mopeia, Zambezia a voter was discovered registering for the 4th time, when he showed the other three cards to other people in the queue. When the police were notified, he fled. He had registered at EPC Sede, Liberdade and 16 de Junho.

In Macate, Manica, a young man showed three voters cards with his name and the same number, all issued at EPC de Ndenguene on 28 April. He said he was told to register three times by the neighbourhood secretary of Ndenguene, which the secretary denied. Macate district operations head, Arcanjo Joaquim, confirmed the case and said there was a printing error on two of the cards, which should not have been given to the man.

Police don’t always protect

In Doa, Tete, a police agent attached to mobile brigade 431 beat a supposed Renamo member for creating disorder in the post. The case arose when the man objected to the way community leaders were not allowing people to register if they had not contributed food to the brigade.

But in Mutarara, Tete at Escola Secundaria de Mutarara, the policeman showed up only an hour before the close of registration. The head of the post confirmed that the police person was rarely there.

Election budget triples

The 2014 election cost $5.78 per voter, whereas this election will cost $16.28 per voter, three times as much. The budget announced by the CNE (National Elections Commission, Comissao Nacional de Eleicoes) for this year’s election is excessive, according to an analysis by the Public Integrity Centre (CIP, Centro de Integridade Publica).

The budget announced on 14 February is for $245 mn of which 56% remains unfunded. The complete paper (in Portuguese) is on https://cipmoz.org/2019/03/31/orcamento-para-eleicoes-de-2019-e-excessivo/ .

By Joseph Hanlon

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Source: Mozambique Political Process Bulletin