Mozambique: President stresses need for new election board to draft single code

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Mozambique: President stresses need for new election board to draft single code

4:23 CAT | 21 Jan 2021

Photo: Sala da Paz

Mozambique’s president, Filipe Nyusi, on Thursday urged the new board of the National Electoral Commission (CNE) to work on the drafting of a new electoral code and the elimination of “maladjusted” standards, to prepare for future elections.

Nyusi issued the challenge in a speech after the swearing in of the CNE’s new president, Carlos Matsinhe, and his two vice-presidents, Carlos Cauio and Fernando Mazanga.

“We urge you, in the exercise of your duties, to seek to revise the maladjusted legal provisions and to influence entities with a legislative initiative to adopt an electoral code,” Nyusi said.

The CNE’s new president and vice-presidents face the task of overseeing the process of professionalising electoral administration bodies in the country and improving communication with voters, society in general and the country’s aid partners, Nyusi added.

Voters, he stressed, must know what procedures are followed in electoral acts and the criteria for the tabulation of results in order for elections to have credibility.

Nyusi reiterated, as he had already done last week, the imperative that the CNE act independently, impartially and transparently.

The new president and two vice-presidents of the CNE who have now been sworn in are among 17 new members of the body, the rest of whom were sworn in last week by Nyusi for a five-year term.

Mozambique’s electoral legislation is made up of a range of rules – a situation that has been criticised by a number of entitites, which have advocated the adoption of a single electoral code to provide stability and security for regular elections.

The CNE’s new president, Carlos Matsinhe, is an Anglican bishop, while his vice-presidents were nominated by the governing Frelimo party and the main opposition party, Renamo, respectively. Of the 17 new CNE members, 10 were nominated by the three political parties with seats in parliament and the other seven by civil society organisations.

The CNE will be responsible for supervising the 2023 census and local elections and the 2024 census and general elections – including presidential and provincial votes.

Opposition forces have contested the legitimacy of all six general elections held in the history of multi-party democracy in Mozambique, alleging fraud in favour of Frelimo.

Source: Lusa