Mozambique Elections Marred by Allegations of Fraud and Irregularities
The recent elections in Mozambique have been plagued by allegations of widespread fraud and irregularities, with both the Catholic bishops and the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) expressing concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
In a strongly worded statement, the Catholic bishops condemned the "gross fraud" that occurred during the elections, citing ballot box stuffing, forged results sheets, and other forms of manipulation. The bishops argued that these irregularities have reinforced the lack of trust in electoral bodies and made the exercise of voting "pointless" for many citizens.
The EU EOM also noted irregularities during the counting process and unjustified alterations of election results at polling stations and district levels. The mission’s chief observer, Laura Ballarín, emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in the electoral process, stating that "the publication of disaggregated results by polling station is not only a matter of good practice, but also a strong safeguard for the integrity of results."
Despite these concerns, the National Elections Commission (CNE) has been secretive about the numbers and changes to the results, sparking suspicions of fraud and misconduct. An analysis of the provincial results for all three elections reveals anomalies that suggest ballot box stuffing and other forms of manipulation.
In Zambezia, for example, there were over 81,000 more votes cast in the parliamentary election than in the provincial assembly election, with Frelimo receiving over 58,000 more votes. This discrepancy is highly unlikely and suggests that ballot box stuffing may have occurred. Similarly, in Inhambane, there were over 74,000 extra votes cast in the parliamentary election, with Frelimo receiving over 64,000 more votes.
These irregularities have significant implications for the outcome of the elections. In Zambezia, for instance, the ballot box stuffing appears to have given Frelimo two extra seats in parliament. While in Inhambane, the turnout ranged from 41% to 49% depending on the election, which is highly unlikely.
The CNE is expected to announce the official results today or Thursday, but the lack of transparency and accountability in the electoral process has raised concerns about the legitimacy of the outcome. The EU EOM has appealed to the electoral management bodies to conduct the count in a transparent and credible way, ensuring the verification of the results from the polling stations.
As the situation unfolds, Media Talk Africa will continue to provide updates and analysis on the Mozambique elections. Stay tuned for further developments.
