Mozambique: Election update

Will Tete be a focus of tension again?

In past elections, Frelimo in Tete took a hard line against any opposition, with violence and intimidation, and also obstructed observers. There is a danger that this might happen again, and our journalists are reporting higher levels of violence in Tete than elsewhere.

In both 1999 and 2004, Frelimo drove all Renamo activists out of Changara district, there were no Renamo party delegates in the polling stations, and there was extensive ballot box stuffing. In 1999, Renamo houses were burned and the Renamo representative on STAE was driven out of the district. Frelimo leader and former security minister Mariano Matsinhe told a 6 December 1999 press conference with a smile that Renamo had brought in campaigners from outside, but these had been “expelled by the people” of Changara.

In 2004 there were also problems in Tsangano district, where Renamo party delegates had serious trouble obtaining credentials and there was ballot box stuffing.

In several places, Renamo delegates were excluded during the counting process. Tete election officials harassed national and international observers in 2004, delaying credentials and imposing a totally illegal ban on international observers speaking to polling station officials. Three domestic observers were held for several days by police during the 2004 election.

Renamo won a majority of Tete parliamentary seats in 1994 and 1999, and Frelimo had a large majority in 2004. But fraud was sufficiently serious in Tete in 2004 that Renamo probably improperly lost two parliamentary seats.

Despite substantial misconduct, those who ran the Frelimo campaigns in 1999 and 2004 were praised and promoted. This sent an unfortunate message, that in Tete fraud and intimidation are rewarded.

It is worrying that the same trouble spots are appearing again in reports from our journalists in Tete. Joseph Hanlon

STAE in race against time

When the Constitutional Council published its decisions on protests from the political parties on 28 September, the electoral administration secretariat STAE had just 30 days to print and distribute ballot papers – and STAE’s own calendar says this should take 35 days. STAE was able to order the printing of presidential ballot papers, but could not move on national and provincial assemblies because of the protests. Other polling station material had already been ordered and is now arriving, the director-geral of STAE, Felisberto Naife, told the Bulletin.

So far, STAE does not have dates on which the South African printers will deliver the ballot papers, and thus when they will be distributed down the chain – provinces, districts, administrative posts, localities and, finally, polling stations. In 2004 even 35 days was not enough, and despite the use of aircraft, many people could not vote because materials arrived late. A similar problem happened with the update of the electoral register, where lack of materials and late arrival of materials meant some people could not register.

With a schedule this tight, any problems are passed down the chain from national level to local level. STAE will start distribution of materials in the north of Mozambique, but there could be problems in the two largest provinces, Nampula and Zambézia.

Preparation and printing of registration books has been decentralised to the provinces this year, which should make it easier to correct errors locally. In the past, problems with registers sometimes meant people could not vote. Because the register is now computerised, the registration campaign this year could deal more easily with people coming for replacement cards, and just issue a new card and not have to do an entirely new registration, as in the past. Nevertheless, there are still potential problems because a large number of new people registered and there were many people moving from one place to another. And, in general, there is no way to take off the register people who have died.

Some register books have as few as 100 voters. In the registration campaign this year, mobile teams travelled out into more remote areas with relatively few people. Polling stations will be near the place people registered, both because it is required by law and because the distances between polling stations can be quite large.

After 2004 and 2008 elections, observers and civil society recommended to electoral officials that registration books, which have 1000 voters, should be split in half, and a law was passed this year to allow that. But STAE decided to stick with 1000 voters and a full book for each polling station. Naife explained that splitting books doubles the number of polling stations, and it would simply be too expensive.

But the number of polling station staff has been increased from 5 to 7. One of the extra people will stand outside the polling station and help voters find the right polling station – typically , which classroom within a school. The other will have a list of voters and identify the voter’s number, which voters will be able to give when they arrive at the official table in the polling station, and it is hoped that this will speed up the process within the polling station.

No register book numbers

When STAE published the list of polling stations (Bulletin 11), the list was borken down by locality and then the location of the polling station. But the law (artigo 41 (2) da lei 7/2007) also requires the list to contain the polling station number, which is linked to the register book number, and that number was not on the list. (Normally, each polling station has a single book.) This information is important for monitoring and for the parallel count.

STAE has it was the National Election Commission (CNE) which took the decision not to publish the numbers. But the CNE spokesman Juvenal Bucuane said “this is a purely technical question and thus is the exclusive responsibility of STAE.”

Integrity reminder for polling station staff

For the first time, the manual for polling station staff includes a code of conduct for people working in polling stations. In particular, it is noted that spoiling a ballot paper is an electoral crime. This is in response to reports by the media in the second round in Nacala local elections that polling station staff were spoiling ballot papers for the opposition by putting an extra ink mark on them.

Officials are also reminded that ballot box stuffing and removing ballot papers are crimes. There was significant ballot box stuffing in 2004, notably in Changara in Tete.

Violence in Tsangano, Tete

Tsangano was a hot spot in 2004 and again this year Renamo is coming under improper pressure. On 23 September a Frelimo group, allegedly headed by a local chief (régulo) stopped, interrogated and then beat three Renamo supporters returning from Chimvano where they had been putting up posters. Renamo made a formal complaint to the police on 30 September.
But that night a Frelimo group went to the Renamo delegate in Chimvano, who took him to the house of régulo Kwabzachina where he was detailed overnight, and the next day taken to the administrative post of Utengo Mbalane, where he was detained in the house of the administrator. Three Renamo officials, Jonas Albino Tanque (mandatário), José Xavier Kalumanba (candide for national parliament) and Pedro Uquine (candide for provincial assembly) went to the administor’s house to see what had happened to their party delegate. Seeing them there, Frelimo members attacked the house. The three Renamo members were then saved by fronteir guards.

Other electoral violence

Changara, Tete: A group of youths wearing Frelimo shirts attacked Renamo member Pedro João in bairro 25 de Junho as he rode past on a bicycle with Renamo symbols. He also reports they stole 3000 meticais ($100) and his moblle telephone. Another Renamo member was attached on 1 October in bairro 25 de Setembro.
Moatize, Tete: Daviz Simango was forced to abandon a rally. It was scheduled for 1 October on the football ground of bairro 25 de Setembo, but the locale was occupied by a Frelimo shock group. The rally was moved to Liberdade.
Mutarara, Tete: Renamo member Mwadeionanji White arrested by the police 29 September, accused of destroying Frelimo campaign material in Doa.
Cahora-Bassa, Tete: Renampo-nominated member of the district election commission, Paulo Extremo, was attacked on 28 September by individuals wearing Frelimo shirts, as he arrived home, having left his day’s work and passed by the Renamo headquarters. Renamo protested to the police, who said the attackers were not members of Frelimo.

Meconta, Nampula: People with Renamo shirts and banners attacked Frelimo member Rachide Fahamo and vandalised his motorcycle. He was giving out Frelimo pamphlets on 2 October.
Nacaroa, Nampula: People with Renamo shirts attacked the Frelimo campaign on 1 October, accusing it of occupying a Renamo campaign space. Two people were injured, including a 5-year-old child, and a Frelimo sound system was damaged.
Nacala-Porto, Nampula: Renamo has threatened to disrupt the Frelimo final rally on 25 October because it wants to hold its rally in the same place, Heroes Square. The municipality says Frelimo applied first.

Murrumbala, Zambézia: Renamo and Frelimo members involved in a punch-up Megaza administrative post, when Renamo parade of three cars and a motorcycle passed in front of the Frelio headquarters.

Machaze, Manica: Frelimo-MDM confrontation 4 October in bairro Sete de Abril. MDM was distributing leaflets and t-shirts and Frelimo members joined the queue and were recognised.

Montepuez, Cabo Delgado: The receptionist at Pensão Gepex, Bonifácio Xavier, was attacked and badly beaten by the personal security of a Renamo candidate, requiring hospitalisation, on 4 October when he told Renamo the hotel was full.

Frelimo use of state cars

Mabalane, Gaza: 5 October, Administrative Post Combomene, a white Toyota Land Cruiser of Limpopo National Park MMQ 55-80, and a white Ford Ranger of the District Education, Youth, and Technology department with the registration number covered by Frelimo pamphlets.

Magoé, Tete: 3 and 4 October white Land Cruiser of agriculture department and green Land Cruiser of the administration, registration numbers covered by Frelimo leaflets.
Macanga, Tete: 1 October Honda motorcycle XL MMV 07-18 of provincial health directorate.
Songo, Tete: The Tete election brigade headed by parliament speaker Eduardo Mulembwé used the secondary school for a meeting with civil servants.
Chiúta, Tete: 1 October visit of first lady Maria da Luz Guebuza, Toyota MMR 05-85 of National Social Security Institute.

Machanga, Sofala: Since the start of the campaign, Frelimo has been using seven Cidra motorcycles, four belonging to the local administration and three to the department of education, with registration numbers covered by posters.

Nacala Porto, Nampula: 2 October, red Toyota with part of registration 21-93, of the provincial public works directorate, driven by the director, Bento Mualoja.

Homoíne, Inhambane: 27 and 28 September, four Nissan “Hard Body”, MMR 48-91, MMH 77-47, MMR 91-87 and MMY 85-54, belonging to the provincial labour directorate, in Pende locality.