The final assessment from European Union (EU) observers, which was made public Thursday, condemned Mozambique’s contentious October elections, pointing to evidence of ballot box stuffing and results manipulation in favour of the ruling Frelimo regime.
More than 300 people were killed during the weeks of violence that followed the October election when security forces suppressed protests organised by the major opposition leader to back up his allegation that the ballot was tampered with.
Frelimo, who has led the gas-rich country for around 50 years, elected President Daniel Chapo in mid-January after the election body declared that he had received 65 per cent of the vote.
Several irregularities in the election were reported in the final report by the EU Election Observation Mission.
“Although the EU EOM did not observe systematic flaws during the voting process, the subsequent counting phase lacked transparency and insufficient safeguards to ensure the integrity of the count.
“The tally process was cumbersome and inefficient, with EU observers reporting deliberate invalidation of opposition votes, instances of fraudulent alteration of polling results in favour of the ruling party, indications of ballot box stuffing, and cases of voters not found on the voter list of their polling station,” the statement read.
Significant differences in vote totals “always in favour of the ruling party” were seen by the mission, which stated that it “observed several instances of results manipulation conducted at the district level.”
The security forces were also accused of using “heavy-handed tactics” to violently put down rallies that opposition leader Venancio Mondlane had called.
According to a report that referenced data from the local civil society organisation Electoral Platform Decide, as of mid-January, the post-election turmoil had resulted in around 314 shooting deaths, over 630 injuries, and 4,230 arrests.
A review of the entire election administration to increase its impartiality and integrity was one of the mission’s top recommendations.
Days before Chapo took office on January 15, Mondlane returned to Mozambique after his lawyer was assassinated in late October.
The security forces were also accused of using “heavy-handed tactics” to violently put down rallies that opposition leader Venancio Mondlane had called.
According to a report that referenced data from the local civil society organisation Electoral Platform Decide, as of mid-January, the post-election turmoil had resulted in around 314 shooting deaths, over 630 injuries, and 4,230 arrests.
A review of the entire election administration to increase its impartiality and integrity was one of the mission’s top recommendations.
