CIP is being denied press credentials in Maputo City, Maputo province, Gaza, Nampula and Tete, despite applications have been made two to three weeks ago. In Cabo Delgado, Niassa, Sofala and Inhambane applications were made less than two weeks ago and credentials were distributed yesterday (Monday18 March).

The Public Integrity Centre  (CIP) is publisher of this newsletter, which has more than 400 correspondents. To go into registration centres, polling stations and counts they need press credentials issued by provincial or national elections commissions.

In Maputo City, two days after the start of registration, STAE returned the CIP applications for allegedly containing irregularities, almost two weeks after they were submitted.

Accreditation of CIP observers in Gaza is being blocked by the head of the secretariat of the Provincial Elections Commission (CPE), Francisco Banze, according to Mouzinho Gama, an opposition CPE member. CIP requested accreditation on 27 February, and to date its observers have not received their credentials. Hermínio Chihingane, a CPE member appointed by the MDM, says that the members from Frelimo last Friday (16 March) sabotaged the accreditation by abandoning the room without approving the credentials.

In Bilene district, Gaza, CIP observers are being monitored by the State Intelligence and Security Service (SISE) and by members of ANABIL (Friends and Natives of Bilene) which is formed by some teachers, school directors and pedagogical directors.