Matola Elections Commission appeals against recount; Frelimo holds Maputo victory march – Watch | Mozambique Elections

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Matola Elections Commission appeals against recount; Frelimo holds Maputo victory march – Watch | Mozambique Elections

6:28 CAT | 22 Oct 2023

Photo: Frelimo Malhangalene

The Matola District Elections Commission has appealed against the decision by the district court that all the votes cast in Matola during the Mozambican municipal elections of 11 October must be recounted.

According to a report in Saturday’s issue of the independent daily “O Pais”, the Commission has appealed to the Constitutional Council, the country’s highest body in matters of constitutional and electoral law.

The Commission claims that there was “absolute incompetence” on the part of the court, and that the documents it used were not valid. It also alleges that there was no explanation of “the real reasons” which led the judge to demand a recount.

The opposition Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM), whose appeal against the “intermediate count” in Matola was upheld by the court, wondered why the court would want to prevent a recount if the municipal election was as transparent as it claimed.

Speaking to the independent television station STV, the head of the MDM list of candidates for Matola, Augusto Pelembe, also denied claims that the MDM was dropping the case.

“More than 30,000 votes” had been stolen from the MDM, he claimed, and the party intended to see the case through to the end.

The truth about the elections should be restored, he said, “We just want the wishes of the Matola public to be confirmed”, he stressed.

Meanwhile, supporters of the ruling Frelimo Party marched through the streets of Maputo on Saturday morning, in what was billed as a “victory march”, led by the Frelimo candidate for mayor of Maputo, Razaque Manhique.

Claims of victory are somewhat premature, since the count is far from over. Courts have ordered a recount in the KaMavota municipal district and have annulled the elections in the KaMpfuno and Nlhamanculo districts. No dates have yet been fixed for the recount and the repeat elections.

Watch.

Source: AIM