Mozambique faces heightened tension amid poll rigging claims --[Reported by Umva mag]

Mozambique is facing an extended post-election legal confrontation as the PODEMOS party disputes the results of last Wednesday’s general elections, claiming widespread inaccuracies intended to favour the ruling Frelimo party and the largest opposition party, Renamo.

The coming weeks are likely to see heightened political tensions as PODEMOS prepares to challenge the official results, setting the stage for a potentially contentious legal battle that could shape the future of Mozambique’s political landscape.

Albino Forquilha, president of PODEMOS, which supported independent presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane, told reporters on Monday that the official results published by the National Elections Commission (CNE) and the Electoral Administration Technical Secretariat (STAE) do not reflect the true voting outcomes.

Forquilha contended that PODEMOS won the elections, alleging that electoral officials are manipulating results to ensure that PODEMOS does not secure either the first or second position.

“The results we are getting at the district level are not what the people voted for. Members of the polling station staff are receiving ‘superior orders’,” he claimed.

Historically, since the introduction of multi-party elections in 1994, Frelimo has consistently won the polls while Renamo has been the runner-up in both presidential and parliamentary contests.

However, preliminary results from this election suggest that PODEMOS may supplant Renamo as the largest opposition party for the first time.

Forquilha alleged a conspiracy aimed at preserving the political dominance of Frelimo and Renamo, asserting that CNE and STAE wanted to ensure that they are “the only relevant parties on the country’s political scene.”

Despite these claims, analysis of the results indicates that Mondlane has consistently placed second in the presidential race, while PODEMOS has similarly secured the second position in the parliamentary election.

Renamo, led by Ossufo Momade, appears to be trailing significantly behind.

Forquilha emphasized that PODEMOS will not accept the promulgation of the results by the Constitutional Council without a thorough comparison of the announced figures with their own district-level data.

Mondlane has also stated that his supporting team’s internal data shows him winning the election, with Frelimo’s Daniel Chapo in a distant second.

He accused Frelimo of fabricating results, particularly in districts lacking the necessary conditions for accurate counting.

JN/APA

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