Following the general elections held on October 9, 2024, Mozambique is on edge as the nation anticipates the announcement of its new leader amidst allegations of electoral irregularities and incidents of violence. The elections, intended to be a straightforward process for selecting the President and members of the National Assembly, were marred by serious allegations of fraud and intimidation.
In the capital city of Maputo, a significant incident occurred when a citizen was shot while approaching a suspicious vehicle near a polling station at Kamubukuwana Secondary School. The main opposition party, RENAMO, claimed the vehicle was carrying materials related to electoral fraud. RENAMO spokesperson Marcial Macome described the incident as "very serious," noting that the injured individual is hospitalized. The Mozambican police have yet to comment on the event.
Reports of irregularities were widespread, with various provinces experiencing incidents that raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. In Chimoio, the provincial capital of Manica, the elections proceeded without major disruptions, although the competition between candidates Daniel Chapo and Venâncio Mondlane was intense. In contrast, the city of Beira witnessed tense moments as observers and opposition party members were removed from polling stations during the vote count, with one presiding officer allegedly beaten for attempting to introduce fraudulent ballots.
In Quelimane, Zambézia province, two ballot boxes filled with pre-marked ballots were seized, and two individuals were arrested while attempting to exchange the boxes. Despite a calm atmosphere in the city, these attempts raised serious concerns about the election's integrity.
In Gaza province, over one million voters participated, and the process largely went smoothly. However, opposition candidates, including Agnaldo Navalho from MDM and Félix Tivane from RENAMO, reported exclusion of their party members from polling stations and alleged instances of bribery against their delegates. Navalho stated, "It was a voting process with high voter turnout, but the organization fell short of expectations. Many of our members were excluded, tarnishing the process." Tivane echoed these concerns, claiming some RENAMO delegates faced threats of imprisonment.
Mozambicans living abroad also participated in the elections, with voting locations in Portugal and Germany. In Portugal, where most of the registered voters in Europe reside, the voting was peaceful but not without complaints. Some voters reported being unable to cast their ballots due to their names missing from the electoral rolls, while others expressed outrage over the absence of the PODEMOS party from the list of candidates for the National Assembly elections.
David Machava, a voter in Lisbon, expressed his frustration, stating, "We are outraged because the PODEMOS party does not appear on the ballot. No one explained why this absence occurred, which clearly harms the party and its voters." Pedro Fernandes, president of the Mozambican Diaspora Organization (ODM), criticized the limited capacity for registration and voting outside Portugal and Germany, stating, "We are many, scattered across countries like England, France, Luxembourg, and others. It is unfair that our voting rights are restricted to just two countries. We have been alerting the government to this problem for years."
The voting concluded at 9 PM in Lisbon, with Mozambique's ambassador to Portugal, Stella Novo Zeca, urging voters to exercise civic duty, stating, "Voting is an exercise of sovereignty," highlighting the importance of the electoral process for the country's future.
As the polls closed, votes began to be counted, with results expected to be sent to Mozambique's National Election Commission in the coming hours. The counting process is currently underway, monitored by over 12,000 national and international observers, who report some irregularities in various parts of the country.
The Peace Room, an electoral observation platform, noted that the initial counting faced logistical challenges, such as power outages at some polling stations, but overall, the process was deemed satisfactory. The National Election Commission (CNE) has up to 15 days to announce the final results, but preliminary data is already being compiled in several provinces. If no runoff is necessary, a new President is expected to be announced within this timeframe.