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Mozambique elections set to fuel cynicism

BY Thesio
Mozambique elections set to fuel cynicism

Foreigners must do more than shrug their shoulders at outright manipulation and post-election violence.

It is customary to congratulate countries on recent elections, but it is hard to imagine the people of Mozambique bursting with confetti. The October 9 general election got off to an uneven start, and the process only deteriorated from there. FRELIMO, the ruling party, dominates the government in Mozambique, and the lines between party and state are often blurred, particularly in the run-up to elections. Ruling party strongholds recorded impressive voter registration numbers, so impressive that the number of registered voters exceeded the estimated major population in those areas. International observers found that the electoral process itself was marred by vote buying and voter intimidation. European Union observers noted “irregularities during the counting and unjustified alterations of the election results.” There’s certainly plenty of time for shenanigans; results are not expected until October 24.

Mozambique’s politics have long been framed through a historical lens that pits former military antagonists against each other: the dominant ruling party, FRELIMO, and the opponent, RENAMO. Indeed, memories of the long civil war that ended in 1992 still permeate the country’s politics, and majorities still believe that competition between political parties can lead to violent conflict. But in urban centers, the old political binary seems particularly irrelevant. Many Mozambicans refer to “FRENAMO” to express their feeling that the two parties collude to serve their own interests rather than those of their voters. Additionally, citizens do not feel strongly affiliated with any particular party, but they do believe corruption is on the rise and unemployment levels require (PDF) urgent government attention.

The political mood among young urban residents has fueled the campaign of an independent presidential candidate, Venancio Mondlane, who is backed by the PODEMOS party and who says internal exit polls show him the winner. Clearly, he was preparing to challenge the results in court. But on October 19, Elvino Dias, legal advisor to Mondlane, and Paulo Guambe, spokesperson for PODEMOS, were shot dead in Maputo. When protesters gathered at the scene of the killings on October 21, security forces responded with force, firing live ammunition at protesters. There’s no celebration in the air, but there is tear gas.

The US State Department issued a statement condemning the killings of Dias and Guambe and took the opportunity to remind Mozambicans that “the only way to challenge the results and demand accountability is to file a formal complaint.” . No one wants to see an escalation of political violence. But urging people to trust the courts when prominent lawyers are murdered and majorities believe that some, most, or all judges and magistrates are involved in corruption is a very weak move.