Mozambique Election Tracker

On 9 October, Mozambicans will vote in the 7th presidential and legislative elections as well as the 4th provincial elections. Mozambique’s electoral system is a mixed system combining proportional representation and majoritarian principles.  

Presidential Elections: Mozambique elects its president using a majoritarian system. A candidate must win more than 50% of the votes to avoid a second round. If no candidate secures a majority, a runoff is held between the top two candidates.  

Legislative Elections: Mozambique’s parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, uses a proportional representation system. The assembly has 250 members, with the country divided into multi-member constituencies based on provinces. Voters cast ballots for political parties, and seats are allocated according to the proportion of votes each party receives. In Mozambique the D’Hondt method is used to calculate the number of seats each political party gets based on their votes. The D’Hondt method is a proportional representation system which approximates proportionality by minimising the largest seats-to-votes ratio among all parties. This ensures that even smaller parties can gain representation, though larger parties tend to get slightly more seats than they would under a purely proportional system. 

Provincial and Municipal Elections: For provincial assemblies, elections follow a similar proportional system. Municipalities elect both local assemblies and mayors, with the mayors elected by a first-past-the-post system (the candidate with the most votes wins).  

Election Oversight: Mozambique has an independent electoral body, the National Electoral Commission (CNE), responsible for overseeing elections. The Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE) manages the logistics of voting processes. 

As Mozambique’s election campaign gets underway, 44 electoral offences have been recorded and 30 arrests, mostly tied to 24 acts of vandalism against party materials. As the country approaches its October 9 general elections, where over 17 million voters will select the president, parliament, and provincial leaders, authorities are appealing for calm. Police chief Bernardino Rafael has emphasised the need for peace and unity during this period. 

Concerns about the logistics of the elections persist, particularly around funding for polling station staff (MMVs). Despite initiating training, the? has openly admitted that it does not currently have the funds to pay MMVs, raising the possibility of disruptions.  Compounding this is the issue of political interference, with a recent incident involving a fake tender in Quelimane –allegedly linked to the ruling Frelimo party, further heightening suspicions about the fairness of the process. These factors, along with the political tension on the ground, are generating uncertainty ahead of the polls, with questions about the ability to ensure a smooth and transparent election. 

Disinformation is becoming a notable issue in Mozambique’s election campaign, with false claims circulating on social media.  

A misleading rumour suggests that supporters of the opposition party, Renamo, should vote on 10 October, a day after the official election date of 9 October. MISA Mozambique, a media freedom organisation, has debunked these claims, confirming that all voters, regardless of party affiliation, must cast their ballots on the official election day. Furthermore, there will be no separate or special ballot boxes for Renamo votes. 

This type of disinformation highlights the ongoing challenge of misinformation during the election period and underscores the need for voters to rely on verified sources to avoid confusion and ensure their participation in the electoral process is valid. 

On 9 October 2024, Mozambique held its general and provincial assembly elections. An estimated 17.5 million Mozambicans, roughly half the population, registered to vote, exceeding estimations. No provisional or official results have been announced yet.

A total of 37 political parties and 4 presidential candidates participated, including Daniel Chapo of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), Ossufo Momade of Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO), Lutero Simango of Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM) and independent candidate Venâncio Mondlane.

The International Republican Institute (IRI) observation mission released a preliminary statement acknowledging the election process. The mission’s observations included the following positive aspects:

1. Most polls opened on time, with well-trained poll workers, except in some areas of Nampula, Sofala and parts of Maputo.
2. Essential voting materials were available at most polling stations, and ballot boxes were securely sealed and visible.
3. Party agents from FRELIMO, RENAMO, MDM, and PODEMOS were present at some polling stations.
4. There was significant representation of women among polling station staff.
5. The closing and counting processes appeared orderly, with party agents and IRI observers present.
6. The voting environment was generally peaceful, though overcrowding and delays occurred in Nampula, Niassa, and Zambezia.

However, the mission raised several concerns:

1. Persistent delays in accrediting party agents reduced their presence on election day.
2. Recurring power shortages, allegations of delayed registration in opposition areas, and inflated voter numbers in ruling party strongholds were noted.
3. The Comissão Nacional de Eleições (CNE) struggled to access funds for electoral preparations, the impact of which was most visible in the disbursement of public funds for the campaign and the payment of polling officials.
4. Opposition parties reported incidents of harassment and use of intimidation tactics that effectively curtailed their campaigning.
5. Tensions and overcrowding were reported at some polling stations; in Maputo, voting was temporarily halted due to voter agitation.
6. In a few incidents in Maputo, Niassa, Inhambane and Zambezia, political party agents and observers were denied entry into polling stations, disrupting observation.
7. Voter intimidation by security personnel in Nampula and Niassa raises concerns regarding undue influence.
8. Lack of transparency in the collation of results and the transmission processes.
9. Inconsistent availability of publicly accessible polling station-level results.
10. A lengthy 15-day timeline for disseminating results.

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) presented its preliminary assessment of the election. The mission deployed 179 observers from 24 EU member states, including Canada, Norway, and Switzerland, visiting 729 polling stations across all provinces and 78 districts. Overall, the EU EOM described the voting process as “peaceful and orderly,” though it noted public mistrust and concerns over the credibility of the electoral process.

Key findings from the EU’s preliminary report:

1. The electoral management bodies conducted voting in an orderly manner, allowing people to vote calmly and generally following procedures.
2. Fundamental freedoms were respected during the campaign.
3. While freedom of expression was upheld, national radio and TV news coverage favoured FRELIMO and its candidate, Daniel Chapo.
4. Concerns were raised about the electoral register’s reliability and the electoral bodies’ independence.
5. Opposition political parties expressed mistrust in the impartiality and independence of the CNE, STAE, and other public institutions, including the Constitutional Council (CC).
6. The CNE’s lack of public communication strategy and outreach contributed to mistrust.
7. The EU mission will remain in Mozambique to observe the rest of the electoral process.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) presented a Preliminary Statement of the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM). The mission had 53 observers from 10 SADC member states.

Key findings from the SEOM report:

(i) The Political and Security Environment

1. Despite the ongoing insecurity in parts of Cabo Delgado Province due to terrorism, the Mission found that the country remained calm and peaceful during the pre-election and election period.
2. Political activities were conducted peacefully, including campaign rallies, public meetings, and voting.
3. Authorities ensured that citizens displaced by terrorism could vote in secure areas.
4. Mozambique’s security forces helped maintain a peaceful environment by providing necessary security throughout the election process.

(ii) Management of the Electoral Process

1. Recent amendments in August 2024 aimed at improving transparency and addressing issues like electoral disputes and ballot box design, but were introduced late, causing challenges for stakeholders.
2. Despite the total number of registered voters exceeding projections, some stakeholders perceived that the number of registered voters exceeded the eligible population. The mission attributed this to a misunderstanding of voter registration data.
3. There were concerns that more time was needed to allow voters to verify their voter registration status.

(iii) Gender representation

1. The Mission commended Mozambique for its high levels of gender representation in elected positions, particularly in Parliament and, largely due to one party’s “Zebra-list system,” which alternates male and female candidates.
2. Women represented 51.79% of registered voters, with men making 48.2% of registered voters.

(iv) Media Coverage

1. With the exception of a few political parties, the SADC mission took note of the positive assessment of the media, in particular, how the State-owned media outlets covered the election process in contrast to previous election coverage.

Observations on election day

2. The atmosphere outside the polling station was orderly, calm, and peaceful, and uniformed police were discreetly visible and professional.
3. During election day, SEOM was satisfied by the tolerance from all authorities involved in granting access to the media both in and outside the polling stations to cover the progress of events.
4. SADC observers were granted free access to all polling stations.
5. Around 99% of the voting stations observed opened on time, except for one polling station in Cabo Delgado, which opened late due to the late arrival of election officials and materials.
6. Voter education materials, such as posters, were posted outside all polling stations.
7. All essential election materials in the correct quantities were available at all the polling stations that were observed at the opening of the polls.
8. All ballot boxes at the polling stations observed remained locked and/or sealed.
9. Around 39% of the observed polling stations did not close on time, that is at 6pm, as there were still voters in the queue, and voting went on until 6.30pm, in order to allow those in the queue to vote.
10. All closing procedures were followed at all the polling stations.