Mozambique Elections: Opposition parties will march for “electoral truth” – O País

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique Elections: Opposition parties will march for “electoral truth” – O País

8:26 CAT | 30 Oct 2024

Screen grab; Venâncio Mondlane/Facebook

Starting this Thursday (31), opposition parties will march across the country to demand the election results, which they consider a fraud orchestrated by the Frelimo party, which was announced as the winner of the October 9 election. The parties revealed that the parallel count, carried out jointly, did not give victory to Frelimo or its presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo.

Among the other reasons given by all opposition parties this Wednesday to declare continuous marches until what they call “electoral truth and justice” are restored are: ballot box stuffing in favour of Frelimo and its candidate, the disappearance of minutes and notices, the tampering with minutes and notices with the aim of altering the results of the polling stations, the refusal of the presidents of the polling stations to sign the notices (editais), the disparity between the number of registered voters and the number of votes in the ballot boxes, the various violations of the Electoral Law, in particular the exclusion of opposition MMVs ( polling station staff ), the impediment of some observers, journalists, candidate representatives and party representatives [mandatários] at the polling stations, in the districts and provinces,

“It was with great concern that the opposition political parties watched the voting process, counting and tabulation of votes from the partial phase to the final phase. The Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE) and the National Electoral Commission (CNE) conducted the voting and counting process in a disorganized manner and with several irregularities, which not only make these elections questionable, but also call into question the announced results”, said Dinis Tivane, from Podemos.

The opposition parties, which are uniting for the first time in the country’s history to demand the election results, put forward four points in their joint statement.

The first is to declare the rejection of the results declared by the CNE, as they do not comply with the rules and procedures, and are characterized by several flaws and violations of the law.

In the second point, they declare that, due to the parallel count of the unitary opposition parties and jointly, due to the social repercussion of the electoral process, in repudiation of the electoral results, and taking into account the history of the 2023 local elections, the political parties are convinced that the counting and tabulation process curtailed the rights of all the political parties competing in this election, which is why they demand respect for the electoral truth.

Third, they demand a forensic audit in favor of the electoral truth and subsequent criminal accountability for the violation of the Constitution, violation of the electoral law and for the fraud, on the part of the main leaders of the electoral administration bodies, as they understand that, if they are not the authors of the fraud, the electoral administration bodies are complicit in it by recognizing and announcing the results.

Fourth, they communicate that, until there is truth of justice and electoral truth, by the CC, the peaceful demonstrations will continue in a coordinated and organized manner by all the opposition parties and declarants.

The march, which was scheduled for this Thursday, had already been initially announced on Tuesday by the presidential candidate supported by Podemos, Venâncio Mondlane, who said it would last seven days, but yesterday, the entire opposition assured that it would also join the demonstrations until electoral truth and justice are restored.

“This is a collective and joint action that expresses the unity of all opposition parties. Each party presented its objection and, for the first time, all parties, together, are repudiating the results. Our demonstrations are peaceful and we are calling for an audit of the election results, and we will march until electoral truth is restored. The Constitutional Council has a responsibility.”

Source: O País