The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on the observer missions that oversaw the Mozambican Elections to account to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) plenary, in order for the regional body to assess whether the elections were indeed free and fair. This comes after a ten-day delay in the announcement of provisional election results in the country.
There has been much confusion and speculation regarding the Mozambican Election results, with some claiming that the results will only be declared on the 30th of October, whilst others claim that the governing FRELIMO won every province, including opposition strongholds.
Several opposition parties have reported that there were irregularities in the registration and counting phases of the election. The DA will also seek clarity from the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Naledi Pandor, as to whether SADC or South Africa had sent any election observers and whether they have reported any irregularities.
Although the elections were held peacefully, it is important that the will of the people is gauged and respected through the ballot, and that the elections were indeed held in a free and fair manner. This should be a principle enforced in the region of Mozambique by both South Africa and SADC.
It is also important to ensure the prevention of any pronouncements on these irregularities, without valid data. Such can only result in false claims or in allegations of rigging that cannot be reasonably substantiated. Such sensationalism has previously led to an unstable and unsafe state of affairs in communities and the region as a whole.
The DA will seek to ensure that the culture of free and fair elections is promoted and monitored through its participation in regional and international bodies. We call on the election authorities in Mozambique to respect the will of the people and to keep the line of communication open, honest and transparent.