Mozambique’s Top Court Dismisses Renamo’s Plea To Annul October Election Results

Mozambique’s top court has dismissed opposition party Renamo’s application to dismiss the results of the recently held general elections in the country, citing violence and fraud, reported Reuters.

According to a written judgment posted on the Constitutional Council’s website dated Nov. 11, the council had dismissed the opposition party’s appeal to have President Filipe Nyusi and his party Frelimo’s victory in the October election annulled. As per the election results, President Nyusi won 70 percent of the votes, while Renamo’s Ossufo Momade got 25 percent of the votes.

 Renamo had accused the ruling party of violating the August peace deal between the two sides. A European Union observer mission also said that the elections were marred by an uneven playing field, violence and a climate of fear.

“The applicant has not provided sufficient evidence to support its claim,” the judgement said.

Nyusi and Renamo leader Momade had signed the peace pact in August to put an end to four decades of hostility between the two parties. It was expected that the presidential, legislative and provincial poll would set the seal on the peace deal between the two parties, which fought the 1975-1991 civil war, with renewed hostilities from 2013-16.

But, the election results resulted in tension as opposition parties said the vote was hit by major fraud. Momade has said the country risked sliding back into violence if the election results were validated.

“If one wants to save Mozambique, the election must be annulled,” he said adding that Renamo had respected the peace accord so far. “We will not accept that a small group of people alter the will of the Mozambican people.”

The run-up to the election was marred by violence including from a breakaway group of former Renamo fighters, which staged attacks in the country’s central regions. A number of attacks have also taken place since the poll.