Overt threats of electoral fraud

The Center for Public Integrity (CIP) and the Mechanism of Civil Society Support (MASC) organized on the morning of Tuesday, in Maputo, a roundtable to discuss the current challenges of the electoral process in the country. The event was attended by representatives of various entities with an interest in the electoral process, including the National Elections Commission (CNE), Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE), the Mozambican civil society organizations ambassadors and other diplomats, representatives of parties politicians and citizens in general. The roundtable consisted of the presentation of specific topics, all linked to the electoral process and discussion followed. The main speakers were: Luis de Brito, director of IESE, João Pereira, director of MASC, Adriano Nuvunga, director of CIP. There were also presentations from the Rev. Anastasius Chembeze, Director of the Electoral Observatory and Fernando Lima, journalist and director of the newspaper Savana.

Violence and loss of ballots in the spotlight .Cuinica Paul focused his presentation on electoral violence that was assisted during the election campaign and that is the concern of civil society, fearing a repeat of the election day and post-election period. That CNE member stressed that the representative body is also the same concern and therefore appealed to all Mozambicans, especially the political actors, contribute to that violence will not smear the process. For that spoke of the need to avoid negative messages from the competing parties and personality because they lead their followers to act violently. However, those present at the meeting demanded explanation from the CNE on the loss of ballot papers of the rented truck to transport materials to the province of Zambezia. Cuinica replied that it was a failure on safety by the driver of the vehicle and police officers specified for the trim material, that are held. Cuinica stressed that the theft of the material raised the issue of security of election materials as a major challenge that the CNE should handle. Participants wanted to also hear the pronouncement of the CNE on the actions of the police, which is clearly partial to Paul Cuinica explained that there is a Code of conduct for members of the PRM which was released at all levels, including in police stations, so the performance of PRM which tends to favor the party in power does not result from ignorance of their obligations.

The presentation of the Rev. Anastasius Chembeze, Director of the Electoral Observatory (OE), highlight points for abrupt change in the methodology of work of this organization. Hitherto the OE stood by the parallel counting of votes followed by public disclosure of the results reported by observers. In these elections, the OE will make public the results of the parallel count as Anastasius revealed Chembeze. Anastacio Chembeze said there was back in the decision, so it would be well in this process. Also acknowledged, when questioned by one of the present, there has been agreement between the OE and the CNE, ensuring that there would be no publication of results of the parallel count. The information was received with surprise and concern by those present. In fact the parallel count is the only activity that justifies major investment in the organization, but when this count is not followed by the dissemination of results to the public is emptied. The parallel count, frize, it's a key to prevent voter fraud because it puts citizens abreast of results during the clearance and allows comparison of the official results that are slow and usually arrive and the results of independent observers element. The end of the dissemination of the results of the parallel count represents major setback in the transparency of the electoral process borrowed the participation of civil society, consider the participants. The OE is financed by donor funds. This election will have observers in 2500 and at least 1200 tables, announced Chembeze. Elections in the context of race for resources and the breakdown of political polarization A study that focuses on the analysis of fundamental issues of general elections in the country this, commissioned by the Open Society Fundations, was presented during the roundtable by João Pereira, one of the authors. In his presentation John Pereira highlighted the context in which the elections take place, which he is running for the sharing of natural resources of the country. Equally, highlighted the tendency to break the polarization of the political scene in the country, with the arrival on the scene of Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), which altered the trend of reduced competition between the Rhine and the Frelimo. Pereira also addressed the issue of military hostilities, although they have formally ceased materially they still exist and it is in this context that the elections will take place. These points were brought in order to discuss to what extent military hostilities may influence election outcomes by changing the will of the voters, coupled with the return to the politicization of the electoral administration bodies, particularly the CNE, which currently represents the most interests of the major parties than Mozambicans in general.

In his presentation, the Director of the Center for Public Integrity, Adriano Nuvunga focused on the weaknesses of the process windows that open to the occurrence of electoral fraud. Based on the experience of previous elections, Nuvunga warned of risk of alteration of the notices of partial discharge, which takes place in the dead of night, in the district the electoral administration bodies; spoke of deliberate invalidation of ballots by placing ink, nullifying the votes of the opposition candidates. "Although the law was changed to prohibit the existence of markers and paints objects in local vote counting, this still happens, with whom hides the paint in the hair," he explained. Another threat of fraud brought by the Director of IPC is stuffing the ballot box what happens in the vote, a situation that is exacerbated by the existence of weak enforcement and members of polling stations (MMV's) the service of political parties. Despite the political parties can indicate there's MMM regions such as Gaza province where it is not possible to be indicated by MMV opposition party due to growing political intolerance. Putting these aspects, Nuvunga be pointed challenge civil society to find ways to ensure that these threats do not tarnish the process, especially intensifying the surveillance process. In his presentation, Professor Luís de Brito, director of IESE showed a trend already havidas vote in general and local elections. Indicated that while in the South and in the province of Cabo Delgado the vote is in favor of Frelimo in central voting tends to be Renamo. This was true until 1999, and moved relatively in recent years.

This mapping of the vote showed that this election campaign candidates the presidency are following the same trend. The campaign Renamo affects the central and northern parts of the country, for example, and even Dhlakama still shifted to the southern zone. Meanwhile, Philip Nyusi lost most of his time campaigning in the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Gaza. The presentation stressed that significantly, candidates are focusing on the two most populous provinces, the largest constituencies, namely: Nampula and Zambezia.

Fernando Lima who made a presentation about the media coverage of the campaign, said this is the worst since 1994 criticized the use of television for the campaign of Mozambique Frelimo party, refraining from commenting on Radio Mozambique, alleging that there has been regularly monitor their emissions. Lima also criticized the partial coverage of the newspaper News that, despite not being public in law and legal standpoint, is majority public capital, the Bank of Mozambique.