The SADC Head of Mission to the Republic of Mozambique’s 9 October 2024 National and Provincial elections, H. E. Dr. Amani Abeid Karume, Former President of Zanzibar, officially launched the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) at a ceremony held in Maputo today.
The launch was attended by several key stakeholders, which included Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to the Republic of Mozambique, Representatives of the Mozambican Government, the National Electoral Commission (CNE) and the Technical Secretariat for Election Administration (STAE), Political Parties, Religious Leaders, and Members of the Civil Society, Local and International Observation Missions and partners from the Media Houses.
The launch ceremony was followed by the official sending-off of the SADC observers, during which the SEOM leadership stressed the importance of implementing all aspects of their training as they observe and report on the pre-election, election day, and post-election processes.
H. E. Dr. Karume underscored that the SADC Electoral Observation Mission would assess the conduct of the elections against the revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021), which the SADC Member States adopted. These include, among others, the full participation of citizens in the democratic and development processes, enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms such as freedom of association, assembly and expression, measures to prevent corruption, bribery, favouritism, political violence, intimidation and intolerance, equal opportunity for all political parties to access the State Media, and the assurance of access to information to all citizens on election matters.
The Head of Mission commended the works of the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), which served to address the terrorist insurgency in Northern Mozambique. He also welcomed the assurance and commitment of the Mozambican government to guarantee that the gains achieved by SAMIM are safeguarded. He went on to applaud the efforts of the Mozambican Defence Forces and other security agencies in ensuring that, like all Mozambicans, the people of the affected areas in Northern Mozambique managed to register to vote and fully participate in the electoral process despite their security challenges.
The SEOM leadership further wished the people of Mozambique a peaceful and calm election and called “upon all registered voters to turn out peacefully and cast their votes on the 9th October 2024. In the remaining days to this important date, SADC also calls upon all political stakeholders in Mozambique to act maturely, respect divergent political views, and exercise responsibility during the elections and in the post-election phase”.
For his part, Professor Kula Ishmael Theletsane, Director of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs, underscored the importance of the conduct of elections and election observation Missions, noting how “the common aspiration of transforming the SADC region into a fully integrated space which safeguards prosperity for all relies heavily on its overall resilience in commanding democracy, good governance, peace, and stability”, as exemplified in the manner we conduct elections.
The SEOM arrived in Mozambique on 24 September 2024 and will be in the country until 20 October 2024 to observe the elections following the revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021).
The Mission comprises 97 personnel, of which 52 observers will be deployed. The observers for SEOM Mozambique come from 10 SADC Member States, namely, Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. They will be deployed to all 11 Provinces of Mozambique, namely, Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo City, Maputo, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete and Zambezia.
