EU urges electoral bodies to clarify irregularities in October 9th Vote
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM), which monitored Mozambique's general elections, has called on the electoral bodies to clarify the irregularities reported during the October 9th voting process. In a statement released today in Maputo, the mission emphasized the importance of ensuring that the electoral administration and the Constitutional Council fully respect the will of the voters during the validation of the results.
The EU EOM announced that it will remain in Mozambique to oversee the subsequent stages of the electoral process, with a commitment to publishing a final report that will include a detailed assessment and recommendations for improving the electoral framework in the country.
The mission began its activities on September 1, 2024, and deployed 179 observers on election day. Since issuing its preliminary statement on October 11, the mission has continued to observe the electoral process, despite facing challenges in monitoring the vote counting in some districts and provinces.
The EU EOM has already identified several irregularities during the vote counting process, particularly in the intermediate tallying stages, and stressed the need for greater transparency. The mission believes that addressing these issues will enhance trust and uphold the integrity of the electoral process. It urged the electoral bodies to conduct the tallying process credibly, ensuring the thorough verification of results from each polling station.
Laura Ballarín, head of the mission, highlighted the importance of publishing disaggregated results by polling station, stating that it is not only a best practice but also crucial to safeguarding the integrity of the process.
In response to the recent social tensions and electoral violence, the EU EOM condemned the murders of Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe, calling for restraint from all parties and for respect of political rights and fundamental freedoms.
