Matola Elections Commission says only CNE or Constitutional Council can order vote recounts – Mozambique Elections

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Matola Elections Commission says only CNE or Constitutional Council can order vote recounts – Mozambique Elections

6:07 CAT | 23 Oct 2023

File photo: DW

The Elections Commission of the City of Matola, in southern Mozambique, argues that the District Judicial Court does not have the power to order the recount of votes from local authorities, and has appealed the judicial decision.

The Judicial Court of the District of Matola has ordered a recount of votes in all polling station tables for the municipal elections on the 11th in the city, considering irregularities in the tabulation minutes and notices [‘editais’] to have been proven.

In an appeal filed on Friday, October 19th, to the Constitutional Council (CC), the electoral authority considers that the aforementioned judicial body does not have the legal power to order the vote count to be repeated and maintains that this power belongs to the Commission National Elections Committee (CNE) or the Constitutional Council.

“There is a clear and unequivocal usurpation of power, since the decision made by the court, to recount votes, is the exclusive competence of the National Elections Commission or the Constitutional Council, as set out in number 1 of article 145 of Law 14 /2018, of December 18,” the appeal reads.

Decision is not “idónea”

That electoral body further argues that the judicial decision is not “reputable” (“idónea”), because “the sentence does not contain the judge’s signature or stamp in use in the Judicial Court of the District of Matola, thus attributing the nullity of the learned sentence”.

At least five district courts have already recognized irregularities in the municipal elections on the 11th in Mozambique and ordered the repetition of various electoral acts, while demonstrations are taking place daily in the streets challenging the announced results.

The sixth municipal elections in Mozambique took place in 65 municipalities across the country, including 12 new municipalities, which went to vote for the first time.

The Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo, the party in power) was declared the winner, in the intermediate count in 64 of the now 65 municipalities, a result strongly contested by civil society, observers and the opposition.

Source: Deutsche Welle