Mozambique opposition calls for vote to be annulled

Maputo – Mozambique’s long-time opposition movement Renamo said on Monday that last month’s disputed elections must be annulled, adding to rejection of the vote that has sparked weeks of deadly protests across the country.

Renamo was the largest opposition force in Mozambique until the October 9 election when it was swept aside by the Podemos party led by Venancio Mondlane, who says the vote was fraudulent and has called waves of demonstrations.

“We are here to call for the immediate annulment of the results of the general elections,” Renamo leader Ossufo Momade said at a press conference.

An interim caretaker government must run the country until new “free, fair and transparent” elections are held, he said.

The election authority has announced that Frelimo – in power for nearly 50 years – won 71 percent of the votes, with Mondlane’s party taking 20 percent and Renamo six percent.

The results were false and the election was rigged, Momade alleged.

“The electoral process was tainted by ballot box stuffing in favour of a particular party, falsification of notices, detention of candidate delegates from opposing parties, and counting without the presence of candidate delegates,” he said.

“We call on the organs of justice to take decisions that guarantee peace and national reconciliation and respect the will of the people.”

Mondlane was a member of Renamo, which fought a devastating 16-year civil war against Frelimo, but quit in June after a leadership tussle.

Demonstrations by his supporters have led to violent clashes in several cities and to the main border with South Africa being intermittently shut down.

A police crackdown has claimed at least 30 lives, according to a toll from Human Rights Watch about 10 days ago. Local rights groups say the number of dead could be much higher.

The Constitutional Council still has to confirm the election results, which it needs to do at least two weeks before President Filipe Nyusi is expected to step down in January and hand over to Frelimo’s candidate, Daniel Chapo.