MADRID 11 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The European Union’s electoral observation mission in Mozambique has noted that the elections in the African country were carried out peacefully, although mistrust and lack of credibility have damaged the electoral process.
“There was a notable lack of confidence in the reliability of the electoral register and in the independence of the electoral bodies. In addition, our observers reported a slow counting process that suffered from disorganization and lack of clarity,” explained one of the people responsible for the mission, Laura Ballarín.
The majority of opposition political parties expressed “lack of confidence” in the independence of the Electoral Commission of Mozambique (CNE) and the electoral body (STAE), as well as in the Constitutional Council (CC). This is due, among other issues, to insufficient communication by public institutions.
Likewise, the mission has determined that the news coverage on both radio and television “was biased in favor of the ruling party and Daniel Chapo”, candidate of the governmental Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo).
Despite this, as positive aspects they have highlighted that the population “voted calmly and fundamental freedoms were generally respected during the campaign”, including freedom of expression, according to a statement from the mission.
More than 17 million people were called to the polls on Wednesday to elect the new president, with Chapo as the favorite. Also attending were the leader of the opposition Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), Ossufo Momade; Lutero Simango, candidate of the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM) and Venancio Mondlane, of the Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique ( Podemos).
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