The Mozambican Attorney General’s Office (PGR) has summoned independent presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane amid allegations that he violated the constitution and electoral code by announcing unverified poll results.
This action follows a series of controversial statements made by Mondlane since the presidential election on October 9.
In an official statement, the PGR expressed its concern over Mondlane’s conduct, revealing that it was monitoring “electoral offences, irregularities, common crimes and violations of ethical-electoral norms” linked to the recent elections.
The office noted that it was focusing on “speeches that incite violence, public disorder and self-proclamation of victory” prior to the release of official results.
Despite warnings from the PGR and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Mondlane has repeatedly declared himself the winner of the election, a claim that has no basis in verified results.
The PGR’s summons cited Mondlane’s actions as contributing to a “wave of social agitation, public disobedience, and incitement to violence.”
It stated that as a presidential candidate, he is obligated to uphold the constitution yet he has instead adopted a “completely contrary posture.”
Mondlane has publicly criticized the official electoral process, labelling the “intermediate results” from district counts as fraudulent.
He has argued that the district results “show clearly the falsehood, swindle and most shameful fraud of the regime.”
However, he has yet to provide any evidence to substantiate his claims of victory.
Mondlane’s victory claims raise the spectre of the violence that followed last year’s municipal elections when the opposition Renamo was accused of instigating unrest after expressing dissatisfaction with the electoral outcomes.
JN/APA