The Supreme Court (TS) announced on Thursday that Mozambique registered 305 cases related to electoral irregularities and illegalit
The figures presented at a press conference by the TS spokesman, Pedro Nhatitima, indicate that of the 305 cases, 142 correspond to electoral disputes and the other 163 to electoral offences, all of which were dismissed.
The figures show that the province of Zambézia, in the centre of the country, registered the highest number of cases (45), 26 of which were contentious and 19 of which were illegal.
Cabo Delgado, in the north of Mozambique, had the lowest number, with three cases of electoral disputes and six of illegal actions.
“Compared to the last general elections in 2019, we can say that there was a decrease in the order of 217 cases, given that in 2019 the courts processed around 522 cases,” said the TS spokesperson.
Of the 142 appeals filed, 70 came from the Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos), 51 from the National Resistance of Mozambique (Renamo) and 15 from the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), said the SC spokesman.
The Supreme Court also indicated that of the 142 electoral appeals, 53 were dismissed for lack of prior challenge, 35 for “lack of evidence”, 36 for “material incompetence” and 18 for “untimeliness”.
“The appellants make generic allegations without attaching the appropriate evidence (…). The law states that appeals must be lodged within 48 hours of the publication of notices, which were lodged after the deadline,” said the TS spokesman.
He said that the district courts had finalised all 142 electoral litigation cases.
Of the 163 cases relating to unlawful acts, 95 have been finalised, and 68 are still pending and being analysed by the courts.
“Of the 95, 40 have been referred to the Public Prosecutor’s Office to establish criminal liability,” said Nhatitima.
The Supreme Court also announced that, throughout the electoral process, 265 people were arrested and tried in connection with litigation and electoral offences. Of these, 78 were convicted, 83 were acquitted, and 86 are awaiting court decisions.
The figures released show Nampula province with the highest number of convicts (24) and Inhambane with the lowest number (3).
On 24 October, Mozambique’s CNE announced the victory of Daniel Chapo, supported by the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo, the party in power since 1975) in the election for President of the Republic on 9 October, with 70.67% of the vote.
Venâncio Mondlane, supported by Podemos (a non-parliamentary party), came second with 20.32%, but said he did not recognise these results, which still have to be validated and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council.
Frelimo also strengthened its parliamentary majority, from 184 to 195 seats (out of 250), and elected all 10 of the country’s provincial governors.
In addition to Mondlane, the president of the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo, currently the largest opposition party), Ossufo Momade, one of the four presidential candidates, said he did not recognise the results and called for the vote to be annulled. Presidential candidate Lutero Simango, supported by the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), also rejected the results, considering that they had been “forged in the secretariat”, and promised “political and legal action” to restore the “will of the people”.
Presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane called for a week-long general strike in Mozambique starting today, demonstrations at the National Electoral Commission (CNE) district offices and marches to Maputo on 7 November.
The demonstrations called by Mondlane on the 21st, 24th and 25th degenerated into clashes with the police, resulting in at least 10 deaths, dozens of injuries and 500 detainees, according to the Centre for Public Integrity, a Mozambican non-governmental organisation that monitors electoral processes.
Lusa
