Maputo — Voter registration ahead of the 28 October general elections begins on Friday among Mozambicans resident in the diaspora.

According to Felisberto Naife, general director of the Electoral Administration Technical Secretariat (STAE), the electoral branch of the Mozambican civil service, 71 voter registration brigades have been formed, consisting of 284 people, and they will work in 94 registration posts in nine countries.

Two seats in the Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, are reserved for Mozambicans living abroad - one for those in Africa, and one for the rest of the world. But logistical and financial constraints make it quite impossible to register Mozambicans living all over the globe, and so the nine countries with the largest Mozambican communities have been chosen.

They are the same countries as in the 2004 registration. The country with by far the largest Mozambican community is South Africa, which will have 38 registration brigades. The other African countries covered are Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia and Kenya.

The "rest of the world" constituency, in practice means Portugal, where eight brigades will work, and Germany, with two brigades.

It is believed that there are about 300,000 Mozambicans living in these countries, But many are not registered with Mozambican embassies, and do not possess Mozambican identity documents, which will make it difficult for them to register as voters.

In 2004, only 46,966 Mozambicans registered in the diaspora - 45,865 in Africa, and just 1,101 in the "rest of the world" constituency.

Voter registration will last until 29 July - the same date that registration within Mozambique is scheduled to end.

Pf/ (264)