MOZAMBICAN ELECTIONS as well as by other dirty tricks— RETURN INCUMBENT intimidation, fake news, and foreign interference. By Doug Tilton Although observers from the Southern had national elections on African Development Community October 15th. It was the nation’s sixth (SADC) said that the run-up to the vote democratic poll since 1994, when and the elections themselves were Mozambique emerged from the fifteen- “generally peaceful and conducted in year civil war that followed an orderly manner,” an observer independence. According to official mission from the European Union the results announced on October 27th, reported that the elections were the incumbent president, , conducted on “an unlevel playing was reelected with 73% of the vote. field” amidst “a climate of fear”. At Nyusi’s party, Frelimo, which has ruled least ten people, including a prominent Mozambique since independence, won Mozambican election observer and a 184 of the 250 seats in the country’s Renamo official, were killed in the National Assembly. days before the election.

The main opposition candidate, Ossufo While it seems unlikely that, in the Momade, won 22% of the vote while absence of such abuses, the outcome his party, Renamo, secured 60 would have been substantially parliamentary seats. The MDM different, these irregularities did tarnish (Democratic Movement of the poll’s credibility. Shortly after the Mozambique) won just six seats. Just official results were announced, over half of eligible voters—52 per Renamo filed a formal complaint cent—cast ballots. asking that the election be annulled due to “massive electoral fraud.” Election observer Prof. Anne Pitcher attributed Frelimo’s resounding victory Observers fear that a contested result to three main factors: the party’s well- may trigger a resumption of armed run campaign, divisions within conflict in Mozambique. Shortly before Renamo, and electoral fraud. Frelimo’s the election campaign, President Nyusi seasoned party activists effectively and Ossufo Momade signed a peace mobilized supporters in every province, accord that ended several years of ensuring that they turned out to vote. sporadic fighting between Renamo and Renamo, by contrast, has been riven by government forces. If the agreement is factionalism since the death of its abandoned, Mozambique’s people may longtime leader, , in pay a heavy price. May 2018. Please continue to pray for peace and The vote was distorted by widespread just governance in Mozambique. electoral irregularities—inflated voter registration rolls, “ghost” voters (deceased people who still appear to From ZZM Network News, November have cast ballots), ballot box stuffing— 2019