Where is your brother Abel?
The voice of your brother’s blood cries out from the earth to me.
Genesis 4:9,10
Two members of the Inter-Regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (MBISA) Secretariat participated in the electoral observation, held in Maputo/Mozambique, on October 6-11, 2024. IMBISA was accredited as an international observer by the CNE of Mozambique, integrated into the Consortium MORE INTEGRITY, together with the CEM National Justice and Peace Commission.
As we know, on 9 October 2024, 17 million Mozambicans were called to the polls to vote in the general elections for the President of the Republic, the Assembly of the Republic (250 seats), ten Provincial Assemblies and ten Provincial Governors. Following the controversial local elections held in 2023, with widespread irregularities reported by national observers and civil society, the elections took place in a context of great discontent, and a strong popular demand for strengthening the rule of law and greater transparency in electoral administration.
Based on the report presented by the observation team of IMBISA members, the political climate deteriorated after the October 2024 elections. Allegations of a lack of transparency, impartiality and justice in the conduct of the process by electoral management bodies are being identified as the main causes of tensions. The atmosphere became tense and the country was inbuilt in chaos. The escalation of protests, including the use of tear gas by police to disperse protesters, has brought further instability. To this is added the death of people, injuries and arbitrary arrests that further fueled tensions. There are reports that police officers have used live bullets. The evolution of the protests suggests a state of emergency.
The aforementioned issues have raised concerns about the fairness and integrity of the elections. In response to the aforementioned challenges, the Catholic Church of Mozambique, several national and international actors called for electoral reforms.
IMBISA views with great concern the current situation of the controversial post-electoral environment and condemns all forms of deaths, vandalism, justice in one’s own hands, murders and repressions, the freedom of expression of people dissatisfied with the electoral results. It urges the authorities to guarantee a climate of peace and acceptance of claims presented, while calling on the institutions of justice, especially the Constitutional Council, such as an Electoral Court, to truthfully and fairly assess all complaints worthy of attention.
While this does not happen, according to the statement from the Catholic Bishops of Mozambique of 22 October 2024, “we call for respect for the right to peaceful demonstration, but we also warn young people not to allow themselves to be instrumentalized and drawn into acts of vandalism and destabilization”.
IMBISA expresses solidarity with the Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique and praises all the positions taken, before, during and after the elections. We encourage them and assure them of our closeness and our incessant prayer for peace in Mozambique and in the region.
Peace and good wishes in the Lord Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life!
Harare, 16 November 2024
+ Liborius N. Nashenda, OMI
President of IMBISA