News / National
'Zanu-PF, Mnangagwa interfered in Mozambique's elections'
12 Nov 2024 at 11:10hrs | Views
The High Commissioner of the Southern Africa Human Rights Lawyers, Talent Rusere, has accused Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party and President Emmerson Mnangagwa of interfering in Mozambique's recent elections, which have sparked political unrest and allegations of electoral fraud.
In an interview with South African State broadcaster, Rusere revealed that his organization has launched an investigation into the role Zimbabwe played in the Mozambican electoral process. The allegations stem from claims that Zimbabwean nationals were involved in voting in Mozambique's election, potentially swaying the outcome in favor of the ruling party, Frelimo. The National Electoral Commission of Mozambique declared Frelimo's Daniel Chapo as the winner, but opposition party PODEMOS, led by Venacio Mondlane, has strongly disputed the results, accusing Frelimo of electoral fraud.
"We have launched an investigation to find out what exactly transpired in Mozambique, which led us to understand that there has been interference by the Zimbabwean President and the ruling party," Rusere said. "We believe there are credible reports that Zimbabweans were being sent across the border to vote during the Mozambican elections, which could have influenced the election outcome."
The unrest following the election results has been severe, with reports indicating that over 50 people, including several prominent figures, have lost their lives in the violence that erupted in the wake of the contested vote.
Rusere further highlighted videos circulating online, showing Zimbabwean nationals in Mozambique with voter IDs casting ballots in favor of Frelimo, the ruling party in Mozambique. These individuals, according to Rusere, have testified in the videos that they were instructed to vote for Frelimo. He emphasized that this is not the first time Zimbabwe has been accused of interfering in neighboring countries' electoral processes, pointing to a pattern of alleged interference by Mnangagwa's administration.
"It is not the first time that the Zimbabwean President and ruling party are trying to interfere with neighboring elections, and that is not a secret," Rusere stated. "We have videos showing Zimbabweans were given voter IDs and testified that they voted for Frelimo. This raises serious questions about the integrity of the election results."
The allegations of electoral fraud and external interference have added to the ongoing tensions in Mozambique, where many citizens and opposition groups continue to question the legitimacy of the election outcome. The post-election violence has further exacerbated political instability, leading to calls for an independent inquiry into the alleged foreign interference and the fairness of the election process.
As the investigation by the Southern Africa Human Rights Lawyers progresses, the international community, including neighboring Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, is closely monitoring the situation in Mozambique.
In an interview with South African State broadcaster, Rusere revealed that his organization has launched an investigation into the role Zimbabwe played in the Mozambican electoral process. The allegations stem from claims that Zimbabwean nationals were involved in voting in Mozambique's election, potentially swaying the outcome in favor of the ruling party, Frelimo. The National Electoral Commission of Mozambique declared Frelimo's Daniel Chapo as the winner, but opposition party PODEMOS, led by Venacio Mondlane, has strongly disputed the results, accusing Frelimo of electoral fraud.
"We have launched an investigation to find out what exactly transpired in Mozambique, which led us to understand that there has been interference by the Zimbabwean President and the ruling party," Rusere said. "We believe there are credible reports that Zimbabweans were being sent across the border to vote during the Mozambican elections, which could have influenced the election outcome."
The unrest following the election results has been severe, with reports indicating that over 50 people, including several prominent figures, have lost their lives in the violence that erupted in the wake of the contested vote.
"It is not the first time that the Zimbabwean President and ruling party are trying to interfere with neighboring elections, and that is not a secret," Rusere stated. "We have videos showing Zimbabweans were given voter IDs and testified that they voted for Frelimo. This raises serious questions about the integrity of the election results."
The allegations of electoral fraud and external interference have added to the ongoing tensions in Mozambique, where many citizens and opposition groups continue to question the legitimacy of the election outcome. The post-election violence has further exacerbated political instability, leading to calls for an independent inquiry into the alleged foreign interference and the fairness of the election process.
As the investigation by the Southern Africa Human Rights Lawyers progresses, the international community, including neighboring Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, is closely monitoring the situation in Mozambique.
Source - newzimbabwe
