Mozambique: Speaker of Parliament criticises Renamo protest during President's State of the Nation ...
Lusa (File photo)
The Mozambican government announced on Tuesday that the second round in the mayoral by-election in the northern city of Nampula will take place on 14 March.
This date was the recommendation from the National Elections Commission (CNE).
A second round became necessary, because in the first round, held on 24 January, none of the five candidates obtained 50 per cent of the votes. This has forced a run-off between the two candidates with the most votes – Amisse Cololo, of the ruling Frelimo Party (who took 44.5 per cent of the votes in the first round), and Paulo Vahanle, of the rebel movement Renamo (who took 40.3 per cent).
Prior to the vote, there will be a ten day election campaign, from 3 to 12 March. No campaigning is allowed on 13 March, the day before the poll, which is supposed to be a quiet day when the voters can reflect on the campaign promises and make up their minds.
At the end of its weekly meeting, the Council of Ministers (Cabinet) also announced a postponement in voter registration for the October nationwide municipal elections. Initially scheduled for 1 March, the start of the registration has been delayed to 19 March, to avoid clashing with the Nampula by-election.
It was feared that confusion would result if Nampula citizens were asked to vote in one election and register for a different election at the same time. The voter registration will end, not on 29 April, as originally planned, but on 19 May.
One of the peculiarities of the Mozambican election system is that voters must re-register every five years. A voter card valid for one set of municipal elections and general elections will not be valid for the next set.
For the by-election, Nampula voters are using voter cards issued for the 2013 municipal elections or the 2014 general elections. After 14 March, these cards lose their validity, and citizens wishing to vote in October must register for a new card.
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