Sadc Election Observer Mssion (SEOM) gives thumbs up to Moza plebiscite
Richard Muponde
Zimpapers Politics Hub
THE Sadc Election Obersever Mission (SEOM) has given a clean bill of health to the Mozambican elections, describing them as peaceful with citizens being able to freely exercise their choices.
Mozambique held its presidential and legislative elections on Wednesday with initial results indicating a win for Frelimo and its Presidential candidate Mr Daniel Chapo.
Sadc deployed a total of 53 observers from 10 member states, namely; the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Republics of Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic which joined the United Republic of Tanzania.
These observers were deployed across all eleven provinces (11) of the Republic of Mozambique.
The Mission observed the Presidential, Legislative and Provincial Elections in accordance with the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021) and the laws of the Republic of Mozambique.
Presenting a preliminary statement, His Excellency Dr. Amani Abeid Karume, the former President of Zanzibar who is the head of the SEOM in Maputo yesterday said the mission observed that the pre-election and voting phases of the 2024
Presidential, Legislative and Provincial Elections were professionally organised, conducted in an orderly, peaceful and free atmosphere.
“The mission was heartened by the patience and resilience of the people of Cabo Delgado Province, who turned out to vote despite the terrorist threat in some of the affected districts in the Province,” Dr Karume said.
“The mission also commend the people of Mozambique for the political maturity, spirit of tolerance and calm which generally prevailed during this electoral period.
“In the event of any electoral disputes, the mission appeals to all contestants to channel their concerns through established legal procedures and processes.”
He urged all stakeholders to remain calm and wait for the Electoral Managenent Boards and other relevant institutions to finalise the results and announcement processes.
“The mission further calls upon all stakeholders to continue imparting positive messages of peace, tolerance and calm across all available platforms, as the country progresses into the post-election phase.In accordance with the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021), ” he said.
Dr Karume said the SEOM’s Final Report will be issued within 30 days of this Preliminary Statement and in terms of the Sadc Guidelines long-term observers will remain on the ground to continue with the post-election observation until 20th October 2024.
“The SEAC shall return at an appropriate time, to undertake a post-election review to
determine the extent to which the recommendations of SEOM have been implemented and the nature of support, if any, that the Member State holding elections may require from the SADC region, to implement those proposals,” Dr Karume said.
The election are still being collated at district level, and will then as provincial results next week. After that process National Elections Commission (CNE) will publish national results. However the Constitutional Council which the neighbouring country’s highest body in matters of constitutional and electoral law has to validate and proclaim the results.
Mr Chapo who is a political newcomer has been the favourite to win the elections because he had the advantage of Frelimo’s incumbency power.
He only joined politics in 2011 but rose quickly to become Frelimo’s president in May 2024, following stints as a provincial governor of the coastal city of Inhambane in the south of the coastal nation.
During the campaign period, which officially closed last Sunday, Mr Chapo pledged to fight corruption. He also promised to bring peace in the conflict ravaged Cabo Delgado province where the country has been battling Muslim terrorists for years.
His win will see the country ushering post-independence born leadet for the first time in the history of the country 50 years ago.
The outgoing President Filipe Nyusi ruled Mozambique for the past eight years. Pundits have predicted that he could be the last of Frelimo’s pro-independence freedom fighters-turned-presidents who were at the front lines the war of liberation.
The Frelimo leader, Mr Chapo was being contested by Mr Ossufo Momade, (63) leader of the opposition Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), which boasts only 60 of 250 parliament seats, and just a few of the 65 municipalities.
The other is Mr Venancio Mondlane, (50) a former Renamo deputy in the Mozambican House of Assembly, and unsuccessfully ran on the same platform for mayor of Maputo, the capital city, in 2023. However, he left Renamo when Mr Momade did not step down.
Mr Lutero Simango, (64) the head of Mozambique’s third-biggest party, the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM) completes the line-up. -@muponderichard
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