Frelimo, which has ruled Mozambique since 1975, has been declared winners of the most recent election by the National Election Commission held on the 15th of October. Nearly 13 million eligible voters reportedly voted in this year’s exercise.

Voter turnout has been pegged at 51% and Nyusi won with 90% of the votes, according to DW.

The six-week-long election campaign was deemed one of the most violent in the country’s history, with candidates threatened, election material destroyed and deadly clashes breaking out.

Frelimo Wins Big

Frelimo’s Filipe Nyusi, who was widely predicted to win, secured 73% of the votes from the presidential poll making it a landslide victory for the ruling party. An estimated 21.8% of the votes went to Renamo’s Ossufo Momande, according to The East African.

Renamo has however filed an appeal to the Constitutional Council to have the results nullified.

Election Observations

On the election eve, about 3756 from the expected 7200 observers were still awaiting accreditation, while some observers were reportedly detained in Cahora, Bassa Tete. Club of Mozambique also disclosed that observers were intimidated in the Gaza province of the country during the counting of votes in almost all polling stations.

Apart from intimidation, opposition observers and delegates were also reportedly expelled from polling stations. The police also prohibited observers in polling stations such as EPC Maria da Luz Guebuza from taking pictures of the results.

On observer mission reports, the EU Observer Mission criticised an unlevel playing field in the election, writes Al Jazeera. This is based on the unfair conditions and unjustified use of state resources by the ruling party, as well as widespread violence.

Observations by the SADC Observer Mission and the African Union Observer Mission led by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, however, varied from the EU’s. According to Al Jazeera, the two camps posited that the poll was peaceful and well organised.

Electoral Fraud

Incidences of electoral fraud were reported as newspapers confirmed that illicit ballot papers were found on one of the voters. The voter suspected to be in possession of ballot papers was a lady in EPC Eduardo Mondlane in Angoche, Nampula, reports CIP.

A Fremilo supporter was also found in possession of 12 ballot papers in favour of Frelimo while he was attempting to enter the polling station.

The rebel group turned opposition Renamo has since filed a complaint calling for the nullification of the election results; due to what they coined asmassive electoral fraud.

Ballot Box Stuffing

According to various sources, initial results indicated that a significant number of polling stations were 100% voted, with the overwhelming number of votes assigned to Frelimo presidential candidate Filipe Nyusi. Conversations on social media on this issue was observed as follows:

The Electoral Administration Technical Secretariat (STAE) shut down reports of ballot-box stuffing despite several pictures shared across social media as indicated above.

The historic peace deals will remain fragile for as long as Renamo questions the credibility of elections as they seek intervention.