The full bulletin in pdf is on https://bit.ly/Moz-El-252
STAE agrees to destroy proof of election crimes in Muembe (but we have the photos)
Mais Integriadade observers visited 1792 registration posts in the week 14-20 April, and found 234 not working. This is 12% of registration posts – a high number and much higher than earlier reports by STAE of just 2%. The problems were in Cabo Delgado (21% of posts not functioning), Zambézia (4%), Nampula (3%) and Niassa (3%). Other provinces had only 0% to 2% of posts not working.
Observers reported multiple problems in many registration posts. The biggest problems were with printers, with 112 not working in observed registration posts which were not functioning.
Observers reported 77 mobile IDs (registration computers) not working, many due to lack of electricity, which in turn was often caused by rain and cloud meaning that solar panels did not provide enough power. Observers also report 44 registration posts not running due to lack of registration forms or voter registration cards, and 16 where the camera was not working.
The was a huge range in turnout. Some observers reported on whether polling stations had a queue at the end of the day, and they found 337 of 837 did. Most polling stations with queues gave numbered tickets (senhas) to those in the queue, allowing them to register first on another day.
Most observers stayed for a least two hours. For 1547 registration posts, observers counted how many people registered while observers were present at the post, and there was a huge difference.
+ There were big registrations in 34 registration posts, with more than 40 citizens registered during the observation, with the highest number registered at 121.
+ In 421 registration posts between 15 and 39 registered during the observation period, which indicates a high turnout.
+ In 582 posts registration was slow with registration between 5 and 14.
+ In 303 posts registration was only between 1 and 4 voters.
+ And 164 posts registered 0 voters while observers were present.
In only 11 registration posts observation was prohibited by the post head. The biggest problem was in KaMavota in Maputo Cidade, where observation was prohibited 5 times; post heads say STAE told them observation was not allowed. The others were Tete, Marara district (2 times); Nampula, Moma (1) and Larde (1); Sofala, Buzi (1); and Maputo Province, Moamba (1).
During 14-20 April Mais Integridade observers visited 1792 registration posts in all provinces. Of those 234 were not functioning. In addition, 84 mobile brigades had moved on and were not found.
As the data shows, in districts with municipalities nearly everyone registered last year, which accounts for the low turnout this year in those districts. But in districts without municipalities, turnout appears to be quite high.
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Publicity works – 1
CNE deputy chair finally notices Nampula has too few registration brigades
Fernando Mazanga, deputy chair of the National Elections Commission (CNE), has responded to our report last week (Bulletin 248, 16 Apr) by admitting that the CNE approved too few registration brigades in rural Nampula. He says the projections of required brigades were too low, and this was intentional, so many voters cannot register.
We reported that the five districts in Nmapula with the lowest level registration so far have brigades expected to register the most people, more than 3000 voters each (Moma, Larde, Nacala-Velha, Erati and Memba). But in six of the eight municipal districts, more people already have registered than the number of adults in the district. They are Malema (112%), Mossuril (108%), Monapo (106%), Ilha de Moçambique (102%), Ribaue (101%) and Angoche (100%). These brigades have been assigned to register ghost voters to vote for Frelimo, and not real citizens in rural zones to vote for Renamo.
Five years ago, this sort of fraud mean Nampula lost parliamentary seats in favour of Gaza province, where voters who do not exist are being registered.
This does raise a question: Renamo has a deputy director and other officials in STAE. How did they not notice this distortion?
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Publicity works – 2
When a supervisor arrives, computers suddenly work in Alto Molócuè
In Alto Molócuè, we reported all last week that known Frelimo people could register, but would-be Renamo voters were told the Mobile-ID, the registration computer, did not work. The publicity finally attracted a visit by the provincial supervision. Strangely enough, the mobiles became operational at precisely the same period as their visit. Our correspondents noted that in the two posts visited (Pedreira Alta and EPC-sede), the most problematic mobiles functioned again and the attendance of the potential voters was more humanised than before the breakdowns..
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Mobiles collected at dead of night
In several districts of Inhambane, the mobile-IDs are being collected at night by STAE technical staff, and are returned early the following day, according to the observers from Mais Integridade. In some cases, the number registered has been found to have been adulterated when the mobiles are returned. The registration of children has also been noted.
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Collection of card numbers stepped up in Morrumbene
The observers from Mais Integridade (“More Integrity”) report that in Morrumbene directors of state institutions and neighbourhood leaders were instructed to collect voter card numbers and the place where each person registered for purposes that are so far unknown. The heads of the registration brigades have been instructed not to talk with the observers.
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STAE agent killed by elephant in Niassa
A 27 year old STAE civic education agent was trampled to death by an elephant while he was working to persuade potential voters to register. The incident happened in Cumela village, in the Marangira administrative post, 65 kilometres from the district capital of Marrupa, Niassa. The population of Cumela is threatening not to vote, if the Government does not drive the elephants away. The government, and the management of the Niassa Special Reserve have promised to intervene.
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Drunken policeman opens fire in Mavago
There was panic in the village of Lijombo 2, Mavago, Niassa, yesterday (Monday 22 April) when a drunken police agent began by insulting the nearby people and fired several shots in the area of the registration post, which led potential voters to scatter.
