Mozambique: Beira Archbishop calls for electoral campaigns devoid of hate speech and aggression

As Mozambique starts nationwide presidential and legislative electoral campaigns this Saturday, 24 August, the Archbishop of Beira, Claudio Dalla Zuanna, S.C.I., has launched a strong appeal for the electoral campaigns to be a substantive and based on party manifestos, policies and not verbal aggression. Mozambique will hold general elections on 9 October this year

Roger Maduca – Beira with Vatican News

Taking into account the historical violence associated with the electoral campaigns in Mozambique, the Archbishop of Beira, Claudio Dalla Zuanna, called on the country’s political leaders to use the electoral campaign period to disclose their political policies and not an occasion for verbal aggression or hate speech.

Electoral body and the police must uphold the law

The Mozambican prelate also took time to address himself to the country’s National Election Commission and the police urging the two institutions to exercise impartiality and respect the electoral laws. A peaceful and fair electoral environment, the Archbishop said, engenders citizens’ confidence and reduces on voter absenteeism.

Municipal elections of October 2023 were marred by protests that resulted in a strong-handed police response that resulted in the loss of at least four lives. The National Election Commission declared FRELIMO the winner of 64 out of the 65 contested positions, winning even in areas known to be RENAMO party strongholds.

Parallel vote tabulations by independent bodies seemed to dispute the final results announced by the national electoral body.

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