WATCH: Renamo and MDM join to denounce Matola result – CIP, Mozambique Elections

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WATCH: Renamo and MDM join to denounce Matola result – CIP, Mozambique Elections

10:35 CAT | 14 Oct 2018

Torina Miquitae, CEC vice president named by Renamo. Photo: O País

Renamo and MDM nominated members of the Matola City Elections Commission (CEC) gave a joint press conference to say the results had been fraudulently altered to give Frelimo a narrow victory. They also showed the press three different result sheets (editais) all signed and stamped by the CEC president Carlos Come, which they said was evidence that something wrong was happening.

The three editais give these results:

The first:

Frelimo – 48,15%;
Renamo – 47, 46%
MDM – 4,13%

The second:

Frelimo – 46,85%
Renamo – 47,46%
MDM – 5,42%

The third:

Frelimo – 48,05
Renamo – 47,28
MDM – 4,11%

The third, signed by Frelimo-linked CEC members but not those linked to Renamo and MDM, was presented at the press conference yesterday as the official Matola results. (As well as members nominated by parties, elections commissions have civil society members, but they are usually also linked to parties.) The first results sheet circulated on social media and was reported here in Bulletin 65 Friday.

Torina Miquitae, CEC vice president named by Renamo, said the third results sheet was filled in unilaterally by Frelimo members of the CEC, including chair Come. The first results sheet had been presented by STAE to the CEC for approval but it was noted that the sum of the votes for parties was higher than the valid vote, so it was returned for correction. The session was suspended and resumed without Renamo and MDM members, Miquitae said.

Miquitae said that the correct result is Renamo 47.44% to Frelimo 46.85% and MDM 5.42% do MDM.

Romao Rego, an MDM nominated member of CEC and member to the CEC electoral operation committee, said that as a member of the committee responsible for the results, he had not seen the third document before it was published. And he confirmed that Renamo won and MDM received 5.42%

Renamo and MDM promise detailed written reports giving the evidence of fraud.

A polling station head was arrested for denouncing ballot box stuffing by Frelimo at his polling station, Romao Rego told the press conference. Mauricio Brito Vilanculos was head of polling station 100003-06 at Matola primary school.

Carlos Come is an unusual choice to be president of the Matola CEC. He was director general of the Criminal Investigation Police and director of counter-intelligence of the security service (Servico de Informacao e Seguranca do Estado, SISE).

Source: 2018 Local Elections - Mozambique Political Process Bulletin