adminNduduzo Tshuma Senior Political Reporter
THE Sadc Election Observer Mission (Seom) yesterday endorsed Mozambique’s harmonised elections held on Saturday saying they reflected the will of the people and were held in accordance with the country’s electoral laws as well as the regional bloc’s guidelines.
Media reports yesterday indicated that by Thursday night, Defence Minister Felipe Nyusi, Frelimo’s Presidential candidate, had 63 percent of the vote after counting at almost a quarter of the country’s 17,000 polling stations.
Renamo candidate Afonso Dhlakama was second with nearly 30 percent of the vote.
In a statement, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Maite Nkoana Mashabane, who is heading the Seom to Mozambique, yesterday commended the professional and transparent manner in which the elections were held.
“Based on its observations, the Seom concludes that the 2014 Presidential, Legislative and Provincial Assemblies Elections in the Republic were generally peaceful; transparent; free and fair, and credible; thus reflecting the will of the people of Mozambique in accordance with the National Electoral Laws and the Sadc Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections,” said Mashabane.
She said the Sadc observer mission appreciates the co-operation among all political parties for creating an enabling environment for the delivery of successful elections.
“In particular, the Seom congratulates the Republic of Mozambique for providing funding to political parties as a means of enhancing democratic practices. The Seom appreciates the co-operation among all political parties and electoral stakeholders for creating an enabling environment for the delivery of successful elections,” said Mashabane.
“This enabled the people of Mozambique to express themselves freely in the exercise of their democratic right. The Seom urges all political parties and other stakeholders to respect the will of the people of the Republic of Mozambique.”
Mashabane said in accordance with established practice, the Sadc Secretariat dispatched a pre-assessment mission to Mozambique under the auspices of the Sadc Electoral Advisory Council (Seac).
She said there had been concerns expressed in connection with reported incidents of violence in Gaza, Nampula and Zambezia provinces, arrests of political party agents, inadequate voter education especially in the rural areas and alleged police bias in favour of the ruling party.
“Most of these concerns were resolved through the joint efforts of the CNE, political parties and relevant stakeholders,” she said.
“The Seom further noted that after the loss of boxes of ballot papers en route to voting stations in Zambezia on October 3, 2014, the recovered and remaining ballot papers were destroyed in the presence of political parties and other stakeholders, including election observers. New ballot papers with new numbers were printed and dispatched to the relevant province. We would like to commend the CNE and the political parties’ leadership for their swift action in restoring confidence in the electoral process.”
derick.khumalo