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Mozambique Elections: IRI releases preliminary statement on Mozambique’s general and provincial assembly election
8:05 CAT | 12 Oct 2024
Photo: @IRIglobal/X
October 11, 2024
Maputo, Mozambique
The International Republican Institute’s (IRI) International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) today released its preliminary statement on Mozambique’s October 9, 2024 general election.
The 40-member international delegation, led by Dr. Succès Masra, former Prime Minister of Chad, deployed short-term observer (STO) teams across nine provinces and Maputo City to assess the electoral process. These observations were supplemented by a core team of experts conducting thematic analysis since mid-August, providing deeper insights into pre-election preparations and the broader political landscape. The delegation’s efforts have produced several key findings along with a set of 11 recommendations to improve the democratic processes in Mozambique.
“Despite challenges, the democratic spirit of the Mozambican people is strong. Mozambican citizens were not deterred from exercising their right to determine their future,” said Masra. “Vibrant democracies require that citizens elect their leaders through a competitive, open, inclusive, and transparent process.”
Key Findings:
Although the Mozambican people demonstrated resilience, the electoral process itself has, so far, fallen short of international standards for democratic elections. Notable issues include:
- Delayed Accreditation: Significant delays for party agents and observers limited oversight at polling stations.
- State Resource Abuse: FRELIMO disproportionately benefited from the use of state resources, including vehicles and public servants, during the campaign.
- Voter Registration Concerns: Inflated voter rolls exceeded population estimates, particularly in FRELIMO strongholds.
- Election Security and Intimidation: Inconsistent security and voter intimidation in Zambezia, Niassa, and Sofala undermined confidence during the campaign.
- Transparency in Results: Limited transparency in result collation and publication risks undermining credibility in the process.
- Late Electoral Law Changes: Amendments, published less than seven weeks before election day, caused confusion over dispute resolution.
- Vote Buying and Intimidation: Opposition parties faced vote buying, harassment, and intimidation, hindering effective campaigning.
- Critical Incidents: The mission recorded 13 critical incidents, including ballot stuffing and restricted access for observers.
Recommendations:
IRI offers the following initial recommendations to enhance future elections in Mozambique:
Strengthening Independent Institutions and Combatting Misuse of State Resources:
- Strengthen CNE budgetary independence by ensuring direct and timely access to approved election funds, avoiding government control over election finances.
- Publish electoral law amendments well in advance of election day to prevent confusion.
- Enforce prohibitions on state resource misuse to ensure governing authorities do not exploit public assets or mobilize civil servants for political campaigns.
Improving Election Administration:
- Reduce the time required for counting and announcing results to less than 15 days to maintain credibility.
- Publish election results at polling, district, and provincial levels in open-data format for greater transparency.
- Ensure timely accreditation for party agents and citizen observers to guarantee access to polling centers and prevent intimidation, in line with international human rights standards.
- Ensure transparent and competitive procurement of election materials to build voter confidence and prevent corrupt practices.
- Consider a permanent voter register to maintain updated voter information during election years.
- Allow voters to confirm their registration ahead of election day to ensure their names are correctly listed.
Promoting Inclusive Elections:
- Promote inclusive practices that encourage the participation of vulnerable groups.
- Increase the role of women and underrepresented groups in leadership and campaigning by encouraging political parties to develop internal democratic processes.
As Mozambique awaits the final results, IRI urges authorities to ensure a fair, transparent, accurate, and peaceful count to respect the democratic will of the people. The critical processes of results collation are still ongoing; neither provisional nor official results have been announced, and any electoral challenges are yet to be adjudicated. In the immediate post-election period, IRI calls on the CNE and the Government of Mozambique to conduct a timely and credible count to uphold Mozambican voters’ democratic aspirations. A comprehensive final report will be issued by IRI at the conclusion of this process.
IRI expresses its gratitude to the people of Mozambique for their cooperation and warm reception during this mission. All mission activities were conducted in adherence to the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and the Code of Conduct, as adopted by the United Nations in 2005. IRI remains committed to impartial and professional observation in line with Mozambican law and international electoral standards.
About the Mission:
IRI has supported or led more than 200 election observation missions in over 70 countries worldwide. The IRI mission for the October 9th elections was conducted in line with international and regional electoral standards, including the AU African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance. This delegation’s work was supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Read the Preliminary Statement HERE
#MOZAMBIQUE ELECTION: “Despite challenges, the democratic spirit of the Mozambican people is strong.”
In a preliminary statement, IRI commends voters’ commitment to democracy, but finds the electoral process fell short of international standards. https://t.co/U0B5VVuBgc pic.twitter.com/ZSkG1asVIC
— International Republican Institute (@IRIglobal) October 11, 2024
Source: International Republican Institute’s (IRI) / Media Release
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