The integrity of Mozambique’s electoral process hangs in the balance amid widespread anomalies in the vote tallies presented by the country’s electoral body following disputed elections held last month.
The state-run AIM news agency reported Thursday that Mozambique’s Constitutional Council, the highest authority on constitutional and electoral law, has expressed serious concerns regarding discrepancies in the vote tallies from the presidential, parliamentary and provincial assembly elections held on October 9.
According to the reports, the council has demanded an explanation from the National Elections Commission (CNE) within 72 hours.
In a preliminary report submitted on October 24, the CNE acknowledged the existence of discrepancies but attributed them to a lack of time for thorough investigation before the results announcement deadline.
This explanation has not satisfied the Constitutional Council, which insists on clarity regarding the inconsistencies.
Council chairperson Lucia Ribeiro addressed the CNE in a formal letter, highlighting the need for accountability and transparency in the electoral process.
The elections were conducted simultaneously, with each voter receiving three ballots – one for each election.
Each polling station was equipped with three ballot boxes, which should have contained equal numbers of votes.
However, reports indicate significant discrepancies across various districts, raising questions about the integrity of the electoral process.
In numerous polling stations, the number of votes cast for one election exceeded those for the others.
For instance, in Govuro district, 7,062 more votes were recorded for the provincial assembly than for the presidential election, while a staggering difference of 36,974 votes was observed in Massinga, with more ballots cast for parliament compared to the provincial assembly – an anomaly that should not occur during simultaneous elections.
The unexplained anomalies present a significant challenge for the Constitutional Council, which may be compelled to invalidate results from polling stations where the vote counts do not align.
CNE chairperson, Anglian bishop Carlos Matsinhe, relayed Ribeiro’s request to the Electoral Administration Technical Secretariat, the CNE’s executive body.
The opposition has rejected the outcome of the polls, alleging widespread irregularities.
This has triggered streets protest in the capital Maputo and other parts of the country.
JN/APA