ED urges Mozambique opposition parties to accept court ruling on election results
President Mnangagwa, who is also SADC Chairman, has called on all parties to the Mozambique electoral process to respect the ruling of that country’s Constitutional Council of Election Results.
In its ruling released Monday, the Council upheld the results of the October 9 elections that saw the ruling party, Frelimo, winning by a landslide.
In a statement today, the SADC Chairman President Mnangagwa said the region “notes and acknowledges the ruling and confirmation on Monday, 23rd December 2024, by the Constitutional Council of Election Results held in the Republic Mozambique on 9th October this year”.
“The ruling by that country’s top electoral court, which upheld Frelimo Party’s victory, completes and thus exhausts all lawful processes on determining election results, in line with that country’s national laws, and in keeping with SADC’s Election Guidelines and expectations. “SADC, thus, expects all parties to the electoral process, both individually and collectively, to abide by the decision of the Council which should provide a constitutional way forward for the country, and facilitate the way to greater peace, normalcy, and stability in the interest of all Mozambicans,” said President Mnangagwa.
He added that SADC stands ready to assist the incoming government, and people of Mozambique, in consolidating their electoral democracy on the basis of the court decision, “which should be held sacrosanct by all”.
“Indeed, this is what the rule of law is all about. Further, SADC urges the international community to respect the sovereign will of the people and the Republic of Mozambique, exhorting all concerned to constructively support all processes towards peace, law and order which the country and people sorely need and deserve.
“Our region witnessed a record number of national elections in the last two years, itself a loud testimony that democracy continues to find deeper roots and to flourish in our SADC region,” he said.
The calls for peace in Mozambique come after opposition parties, which lost by a wide margin, rejected the ruling and started mobilising their supporters to destabilise the country.
Already, there are reports that since Monday’s court ruling, 21 people, including two police officers, have died and 25 others injured.
Law enforcement remains on the ground to ensure peace and stability.
Frelimo won the presidential election with 65,17 percent of votes cast, while Venâncio Mondlane got 24,19 percent, Ossufo Momade of Renamo 6,62 percent, and Lutero Simango 4,02 percent.
Constitutional Council President Lúcia Ribeiro acknowledged irregularities in the electoral process, like any other election, but said they “did not influence” the outcome. _*Herald*_
