Elections 2009 Mozambique (Maputo)
28 October 2009
Maputo — “We particularly appeal to polling station staff to act in an exemplary manner,” declared the National Elections Commission (CNE) in a nationally broadcast statement read out yesterday by President João Leopoldo da Costa.
One-third of the statement was addressed to polling station staff, and was again taking a strong line to try to prevent the ballot box stuffing and other illegal actions in past elections by a few polling station staff.
The statement continues that staff “must be conscious that in this process they will interact with citizens of different political sensibilities and thus we appeal again for professionalism.”
“Independent of your individual political convictions, your interests and perceptions, we appeal to you to act with total denial of self interest”, the statement concludes.
The hard line builds on the polling station staff manual and the code of conduct for election staff, which stress that individuals can be jailed for electoral offenses such as ballot box stuffing or refusing to accept a written protest from a party delegate.
Count is open
The CNE statement goes on to stress that in the interests of “transparency and justice” district and provincial election commissions are again being told that “party delegates and national and international observers can watch the counting of votes.”
CNE issues instructions on bad cards and register errors
Instructions to polling stations on how to deal with problems in voters cards and the register books were issued by the CNE of Saturday 24 October and posted on its website yesterday. (Deliberação n.º 71/CNE/2009 posted on http://www.stae.org.mz/pages/cne/deliberacoes.php).
In two decisions they have taken a hard line which may exclude some voters. Voters not in the register cannot vote, even if they have a voters card. There are no exceptions, except those set out in law – journalists, polling station staff, etc.
Voters cards without photos have already caused some polemic, and the CNE has decided the if the voter’s card has no photo, the voter must present some other form of photo ID such as a work or student card.
But for minor errors, the CNE was more inclusive. Voters with minor errors on their cards – no stamp, no registration post signature, no fingerprint, or with the registration number not visible can vote as usual, as long as they are in the register book.
COMMENT: The CNE has opted to not allow people to vote if there is any doubt about their eligibility. Renamo in at least two press conferences has shown voters cards without photos, and said this would allow people to vote falsely. This decision prevents that, by forcing people to have another photo-ID card. But it could exclude some rural people for whom the voters card is the only ID card.
Similarly, the decision on names not on the register is a response to opposition fears of false voters cards. But it may also cut the other way. MDM says it fears that some of its supporters have been intentionally left off registers, and now will not be allowed to vote even if they do have a card. jh
? The CNE has finally posted on its website its detailed and important instructions for polling day and for the counting process at all levels. It is Deliberação n.º 69/CNE/2009 de 27 de Setembro (Directiva do sufrágio e apuramento dos resultados). It also is posted on http://www.stae.org.mz/pages/cne/deliberacoes.php
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