mbulelo smpofu
Fungi Kwaramba, Harare Bureau
The international community should respect the sovereign will of the people of Mozambique and support all processes towards peace, law and order, President Mnangagwa, who is also the chairperson of SADC, has said.
This follows the Mozambican Constitutional Council’s Monday ruling that upheld the results of the October elections, re-affirming the governing Frelimo party’s decades-long hold on power.
In a ruling on Monday, judges of the Constitutional Council named Cde Daniel Chapo as the next president, confirming that the Frelimo candidate won 65 percent of the vote while his main challenger Venancio Mondlane got a 24 percent share of the vote.
“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,” the President said.
This year the SADC region, and Africa at large, have witnessed elections in several countries with the plebiscites largely peaceful save for a few exceptions.
The President said this is “a loud testimony that democracy continues to find deeper roots and to flourish in our SADC Region.”
In his statement, President Mnangagwa said the Constitutional Council’s Monday ruling exhausted all lawful processes for determining election results, both under Mozambican laws and SADC Election Guidelines and expectations, and thus all parties need to abide by the country’s apex court’s ruling.
“The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) 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.”
Further, the President said, the rule of law is sacrosanct and SADC, as the regional mother body, stands ready to assist the people of Mozambique in deepening and consolidating democracy.
“SADC stands ready to assist the incoming Government, and People of Mozambique, in consolidating their electoral democracy on the basis of the aforesaid Court decision which should be held sacrosanct by all. Indeed, this is what the rule of law is all about,” the President said.
In the October elections, Cde Chapo won by a massive landslide; his party, Frelimo, also improved its parliamentary majority in the 250-seat legislature.
However, the opposition led by Mr Modlane has refused to accept defeat, leading to sporadic protests in the gas-rich southern African country, concentrated mainly in the urban centres.
