MOST OPPOSITION CANDIDATES DISQUALIFIED FROM

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 MAPUTO 001007 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL MZ SUBJECT: MOST OPPOSITION CANDIDATES DISQUALIFIED FROM LEGISLATIVE ELECTION REF: MAPUTO 970 Classified By: A/DCM Matthew Roth, Reasons 1.4(b+d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On September 7, the National Electoral Commission (CNE),citing registration irregularities, announced the disqualification of Daviz Simango's Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM) from 9 of 13 constituencies in the October 28 legislative elections. MDM will challenge this decision, bringing it before the Constitutional Council (CC),a Supreme Court-equivalent. The Charge and other Ambassadors met with Simango on September 8 to discuss MDM's concerns. Reps of international missions met the same day to discuss a joint statement calling for transparency in application of election law and for peaceful campaigning free of violence. Political observers and the diplomatic community alike see MDM's disqualification as a FRELIMO-inspired "dirty tricks" campaign to manipulate the legislative election in an effort to gain a two-thirds super-majority, and express concern that violence could increase in the elections period. A super-majority would allow the ruling party to change the constitution at will, paving the way for President Guebuza to stay in power past 2014 despite current term limits. More than one local observer has commented that FRELIMO appears to be employing ZANU-PF style tactics and determination to neutralize opposition politics by any means necessary. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU//REL GB,AUS) Following on a recent decision to disqualify six of nine presidential candidates (reftel) the National Electoral Commission (CNE) announced on the morning of September 7 that opposition party Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM),headed by Daviz Simango, was barred from taking part in the legislative elections October 28 in nine of 13 constituencies, including the most populous Zambezia and Nampula provinces for unspecified procedural reasons. The CNE did not exclude MDM from the constituencies of Maputo city, as well as Inhambane, Niassa, and Sofala provinces--generally considered FRELIMO strongholds. The CNE also announced that 16 other parties which applied to run in the legislative elections were had been disqualified from some races, though not to the extent of MDM. Only FRELIMO and RENAMO will appear on the ballots of all 13 constituencies for the legislative elections. -------------- -------------- MDM DECRIES ELECTIONEERING, INTL COMMUNITY CONCERNED -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C//REL GB,AUS) EU Ambassadors met on the morning of September 8 to consider cancelling a planned electoral observation mission in response to the disqualification, though as of September 9 the mission is likely to continue as planned. Simango met with the Charge, the Swedish Ambassador, and other international mission heads later on September 8. Simango called for a strong statement by the international community urgently, and accused donors of being complicit with an undemocratic government should they not do so. Deputy chiefs of mission of EU member states, along with Canada, Norway, and the United States met the same afternoon to discuss a joint statement expressing concern about the decision and calling for clarity, transparency and consistency in the application of election law and calling for peaceful campaign period free of violence. There was general agreement on the themes of the statement, though timing of any release is still to be determined. On September 9, the Charge expressed concern about the elections process in a speech at a local university covered by press. ¶4. (C//REL GB,AUS) In a September 8 press conference Simango said that the CNE was on a "crusade against multi-party democracy," and that the "CNE is in the process of killing democracy in the country." An MDM spokesperson subsequently explained that the decision to disqualify the MDM from the majority of legislative races without explanation appears to contravene the electoral law which says that parties cannot be disqualified from the legislative elections, only their individual members. The law also states that once a candidate is determined to be disqualified, the party has a period of ten days to find a substitute candidate. The CNE failed to meet this requirement as well, the spokeperson said, and further, the electoral law makes no provision for the rejection of entire lists of candidates from a given party, as the CNE did. MDM highlighted other other alleged violations of the electoral law include back-dating of the disqualification decision to MAPUTO 00001007 002 OF 003 August 28, despite its release on midnight on Sunday September 6, and failure to randomly draw for the placement of candidates' names on the ballot as required by law. Simango and other MDM reps met with CNE on September 9, and told poloffs that the party would appeal the decision to the Constitutional Council (CC),a Supreme Court-equivalent. (NOTE: The Guebuza Administration has been accused of developing a strategy to gradually change the composition of the CNE and the CC, ensuring that both organizations are dominated by FRELIMO party faithful. As a result, it has been suggested that the CC is likely to uphold the CNE's decision. END NOTE) -------------- -------------- FRELIMO AFTER A TWO-THIRDS PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C//REL GB,AUS) Poloffs met with a high-level MDM sympathizer and academic on September 8 to discuss the repercussions of the CNE's decision. The contact pointed out that the CNE decision, released September 7, was backdated to August 28 so that any MDM appeal to the CC could be disqualified on procedural grounds for not meeting the five-day window for appeals. The contact confirmed that FRELIMO's Secretary for Outreach Edson Macuacua commented in a Sunday televised debate that his would be the sole party to contest the Parliamentary elections in all 13 constituencies. As Macuacua's statement came before the CNE announcement, it adds fuel to speculation of FRELIMO's involvement in the decision. (NOTE: Macuacua was also incorrect, given that RENAMO will be listed in all 13 constituencies. End note.) ¶6. (S//REL GB,AUS) Claiming that he would be killed for raising these issues publicly, the contact explained that the CNE's illegal and unconstitutional move against MDM reveals both the ruling party's complete control of CNE and FRELIMO's strategy to gain a two-thirds majority in Parliament with which they could change the constitution at will, allowing President Guebuza to maintain power beyond the current term limits. The contact likened this ongoing attempt by FRELIMO to consolidate power at any cost to Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF, and raised concerns that some opposition members may consider a violent response, given FRELIMO's apparent move to flaunt the constitution and manipulate the electoral system. He claimed that Simango however has counseled his party to remain calm. The contact said he recently received an internal FRELIMO study projecting various outcomes of the legislative elections which forecasted MDM gaining between 20 and 60 of the 250 seats in the National Assembly (AR). He explained that this report frightened FRELIMO strategists, and may have precipitated the CNE action to disqualify MDM in nine constituencies. The contact noted that elements within FRELIMO, apparently disgusted with its heavy-handed approach, have quietly helped MDM, as has the Catholic Church. -------------- CHARGE CONFRONTS GRM PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR -------------- ¶7. (S//REL GB,AUS) In a September 8 meeting at the Charge's residence with a close adviser to President Guebuza, the Charge bluntly said he was concerned about corruption and narcotrafficking--and that the GRM seemed to have little interest in addressing these growing problems. He emphasized that these issues could weaken governments and have negative effects on international perceptions of elections. Noting the exclusion of MDM from legislative lists, the Charge told the adviser that FRELIMO had to decide whether they wanted to try to win clean or win dirty, and that international response to a widely-predicted FRELIMO victory would be influenced by the perception of the integrity of the process. The adviser responded that Guebuza did not approve of dirty tricks, and that the party leadership would not tolerate foul play. The Charge responded that while that may be the case, others may be acting on the President's behalf resulting in negative repercussions for the GRM. The Charge also told the adviser that many diplomats and local political observers claimed that FRELIMO sought a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly to allow for a constitutional change that would allow for Guebuza to seek a third term in 2014. The adviser rejected that idea, stating that FRELIMO's Political Committee had rejected that idea. The adviser concluded the meeting stating that he would work with CNE immediately to investigate the issue and work towards ensuring MDM's full participation in the legislative elections. MAPUTO 00001007 003 OF 003 -------------- COMMENT: MOZAMBICAN POLITICS: ZIMBABWE LITE? -------------- ¶8. (C) Ironically, FRELIMO would likely win the upcoming national elections comfortably without having to result to manipulation of the electoral playing field. Even staunchly pro-FRELIMO journalist Paul Fauvet expressed reservations in a September 7 article, writing that "the CNE's disqualification of nine MDM lists implies that the MDM presented literally dozens of invalid candidates...this seems extraordinarily unlikely... (and) is questionable." This disqualification, in essence a crass effort by FRELIMO to prematurely end MDM's legislative campaign, smacks of dirty tricks and suggests that some in FRELIMO are increasingly brazen in their attempts to exert total control over the state at the expense of its democratic system. Many are already questioning the validity of the democratic process in Mozambique, and suggesting that heavy-handed FRELIMO tactics may result in a violent response, since some believe that the system is now broken, and are no longer interested in playing by democratic rules. Perhaps most concerning about the CNE decision to disqualify MDM was the anemic response by independent media, which appears to be well aware of the quickly closing space for civil society to voice opposition to the decisions of the ruling party. The Charge will join other Chiefs of Mission in a meeting September 10 with the CNE President to express concerns about the exclusion of so many opposition candidates. CHAPMAN