Mozambique is on edge as the country awaits Monday’s ruling on the final results of elections held more than two months ago.
The Constitutional Council announced on Sunday that it would make a ruling on Monday on whether it would validate the results of the elections that have plunged the country into deadly turmoil.
Council president Lucia da Luz Ribeiro is expected to make “the proclamation of the definitive results” of the presidential and legislative elections at a public hearing on Monday.
Mozambique’s National Election Commission (CNE) announced on October 24 the election of ruling FRELIMO party’s candidate Daniel Chapo as the country’s new president, with 70.7 percent of the votes.
Exiled opposition presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane was a distant second, with only 20.3 percent of the valid ballots.
Mondlane, however, claims the results were rigged and that he actually won 53 percent of the vote.
The Podemos party, allied with Mondlane, also claims it won the elections and should have 138 out of 250 seats in parliament, instead of the 31 that the election commission reported.
A number of observer missions have also reported irregularities.
Mozambique’s Catholic bishops have alleged ballot-stuffing, while European Union election observers noted “irregularities during counting and unjustified alteration of election results.”
The disputed elections have triggered months of protests, with allegations of rigging and security forces killing dozens of people.
More than two months of political unrest have left at least 130 dead and caused millions of dollars’ worth of economic damage.
Mondlane has threatened to call “a popular uprising” if the Constitutional Council approves initial results.
He warned of “chaos” and a “new popular uprising of a scale never seen” if the earlier results are validated.
He has taken refuge abroad, saying he fears for his safety.
JN/APA