Beira — The Electoral Administration Technical Secretariat (STAE), in the central Mozambican province of Sofala, has denied tampering with the voter roll ahead of the muncipal elections scheduled for Wednesday.

Last Thursday, the opposition Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM) acused the electoral bodies of altering the books in which the names of regitered voters are recorded.

But at the press conference, Jose Domingos, a member of the MDM Political Commission, displayed copies of registration books, which include the names of people registered after the cut-off date of 3 June, among other irregularities.

"Some voters whose names are in these books did not register physically in Beira', he accused. "Their data, including their photographs, were collected, and later voter cards were issued for them here in Beira.'

STAE replied to the MDM's claims on Saturday. The STAE provincial director, Jorge Donquene, said "I think the accusation is vague. We have no sign of any tampering with the registration books'.

Donquene claimed that, after the legal close of registration (at midnight on 3 June) "there was no possibility of adding voters, since the system closes by itself.

He stressed that the organization and printing of the voter rolls was witnessed by representatives of all the political parties.

"I would like to assure you that this exercise (the introduction into the roll of fake voters' names) did not happen', stressed Donquene.

The MDM had gone to the press before speaking to STAE, he said. "These statements reach the press first', he complained. "They are presented at a forum where STAE is not present, and we become aware of them here. We did not receive any communication of this sort'.