MOZAMBICAN GENERAL ELECTIONS: RENAMO ALLEGES

C O N F I D E N T I A L MAPUTO 001587

SIPDIS
FOR AF/FO AND AF/S
STATE PASS MCC FOR BRIGGS AND GAULL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM MZ RENAMO
SUBJECT: MOZAMBICAN GENERAL ELECTIONS: RENAMO ALLEGES
IRREGULARITIES

REF: MAPUTO 1585 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Ambassador Helen La Lime for reasons 1.4 (b/d)


1. (C) Senior RENAMO advisor Artur Vilankulu, accompanied by
two other RENAMO officials, called on the Ambassador on
December 8 to express concern over alleged irregularities in
the December 1 - 2 general elections. The three were in the
midst of making the rounds of various foreign embassies with
their complaints. Vilankulu claimed that many RENAMO
adherents were deliberately excluded during the voter
registration phase and that there were numerous cases of
votes for RENAMO being spoiled by polling station staff.
Further, he said, RENAMO party representatives (by law
entitled to observe voting and counting) were driven out of
some polling stations, leaving predominantly FRELIMO polling
station staff free to spoil otherwise valid RENAMO ballots.
Vilankulu referred to statements by RENAMO chief Dhlakama
that he would not encourage any violence, but then warned
that tensions were high and that RENAMO party officials would
be unable to control their supporters if they chose to take
to the streets. (Comment: Considering RENAMO's surprisingly
weak showing, post believes it is highly unlikely that RENAMO
supporters will take to the streets in significant numbers.
End Comment.)


2. (C) The Ambassador immediately responded to the warning
of violence, stressing to the RENAMO officials that she hoped
their supporters would not respond in this way. She reminded
them that they as leaders of the party play an important role
in managing tension. Vilankulu quickly replied that he
really did not expect violence. Pointing to findings by many
observer groups, including the Embassy's, and to the National
Observatory's parallel vote tabulation (PVT),the Ambassador
asserted her belief that Guebuza's apparent clear lead
reflected the will of those who voted, even if there had been
irregularities in some areas. Although Vilankulu did not
acknowledge that Dhlakama had lost, neither did he contest
the Ambassador's statement. The Ambassador encouraged RENAMO
to actively seek to position itself as a positive and
constructive political movement.


3. (SBU) Separately, press reports continue to emerge over
alleged ballot stuffing at some polling stations in the
provinces of Tete and Niassa. In Changara district, Tete
province, voter turnout reached an incredible 96 percent
across the district's 95 polling stations (the national
average is around 40 percent). Polling station counts
indicate that 64,562 valid votes went to Guebuza compared to
919 to Dhlakama. Commentators claim that, in addition to the
high turnout, the low Dhlakama figure is suspicious, given
that in 1999 he garnered 5,337 votes in the district. RENAMO
claims its official observers were driven out of the district
both this year and in 1999, leaving RENAMO unable to observe
vote counting at the polling station level where ballot
stuffing would likely occur. The Carter Center and European
Union observer missions are both closely following these
allegations and have urged election officials to investigate
and take action against any violation of electoral law (refs).
LA LIME