Frelimo leads vote recount in Mozambique

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Johannesburg, South Africa – The Frelimo party, Mozambique’s ruling political force, is leading the vote recount currently being conducted by the Constitutional Council, the body acting as the country’s electoral tribunal. The recount was requested by opposition parties following the contentious General Elections of October 9.

So far, 90% of the disputed ballots have been reviewed, with the Council cross-checking records from electoral commissions across nine of Mozambique’s provinces. The final province, Zambezia, is expected to be reviewed starting today.

The recount process was initiated after three opposition parties—Renamo, the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), and the National Electoral Commission (CNE)—filed formal appeals challenging the results of the presidential election. Meanwhile, the Podemos party, supporting opposition candidate Venâncio Mondlane, submitted records from only seven provinces, focusing on areas where it claims victory. Provinces such as Cabo Delgado, Niassa, and Gaza are notably absent from its submissions.

The recount process is reported to be 90% complete, with a subsequent stage involving digitalisation of the results. Once data is centralised and processed, the system will automatically calculate the winners. Officials state that this phase is already 65% complete.

The Constitutional Council is expected to validate the election results soon, with less than 40 days remaining until the new legislative term begins on January 12.

The recount underscores the contentious nature of Mozambique’s 2023 elections, marked by accusations of electoral irregularities from opposition parties. As the country awaits final results, the focus remains on whether the recount process will address these disputes and bolster confidence in Mozambique’s democratic institutions.