17 November 2008
Beira — The local election campaign in the central Mozambican province of Sofala was mostly peaceful, according to the provincial police command, although 21 arrests were made for various electoral offences.
According to Mateus Mazive, the press officer for the Sofala police, in general, in all four municipalities in the province (Beira, Dondo, Marromeu and Gorongosa), the campaign "took place in a very orderly fashion, with a great sense of respect and civic responsibility".
Of the 21 people arrested, eight were charged with assault, and the rest with destroying electoral material of their opponents. All the cases are awaiting trial.
There were also four traffic accidents during the campaign. In one case two vehicles collided, in another passengers fell off an overcrowded vehicle, and in the other two, pedestrians were run over. 12 people were slightly injured in these minor accidents.
Mazive warned that the campaign ended at midnight on Sunday. Monday and Tuesday are "quiet days" for voters to reflect on their choices. Anyone who continues to campaign on these days is breaking the law, and risks arrest. He also warned voters not to wear party political T-shirts or other such items of clothing when they go to vote on Wednesday, since party propaganda is not allowed inside the polling stations.
Asked to compare this campaign with the 2003 local elections, Mazive told AIM that this year's campaign was much better. "In 2003 there was a lot of aggression, and many cases in which electoral propaganda was destroyed", he said. The changed environment "is a good sign, because it shows increased political maturity among the communities and the political parties, their leaders, members and supporters. Democracy really is being consolidated".
The Sofala Provincial Elections Commission (CPE) agrees with the police assessment. "The campaign was very positive", said CPE chairperson Preakash Prehlad. "There were some small incidents, which is normal in events of this size, but nothing alarming".
Prehlad told AIM that all the ballot boxes, ballot papers and other voting materials have arrived in the province. The material for Marromeu was dispatched on Sunday, while Gorongosa and Dondo will receive their polling station kits on Monday. In Beira itself, the election material will be distributed to all polling station brigades by 15.00 on Tuesday.
The instruction from the National Elections Commission (CNE) is that all polling station staff should be at their posts by 05.00 on Wednesday, ready to open the polling stations to the voters at 07.00
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