Respect court ruling, SADC says amid Mozambique unrest

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has urged all citizens and political players in Mozambique to respect the Constitutional Council's recent verdict on the outcome of the October 9 presidential election.

SADC is a 16-member regional bloc, which Mozambique is part of.

The Constitutional Council, Mozambique's highest court, ruled that 47-year-old Daniel Chapo of the ruling FRELIMO party won the election, ahead of opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane, who was being backed by the opposition party, PODEMOS.

Deadly protests have mounted in Mozambique, with Mondlane alleging that his "win" was snatched.

Constitutional Council revises results

At least 151 people have been confirmed dead in the protests, according to civil society groups in the Southern African nation of 34 million people.

According to Mozambique's electoral commission, Chapo got 71% of the vote, while Mondlane got 20%.

The Constitutional Council, however, revised the outcome in its ruling on Monday, with Chapo given 65% of the vote, and Mondlane's count revised to 24%.

Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also the chairperson of SADC, said in a statement on Wednesday: "The ruling by that country's (Mozambique's) top electoral court, which upheld FRELIMO party's victory, completes and thus exhausts all lawful processes on determining election results, in line with that country's national laws, and in keeping with SADC's Election Guidelines and expectations."

'Abide by court's decision'

President Mnangagwa added: "SADC, thus, expects all parties to the electoral process, both individually and collectively, to abide by the decision of the council which should provide a constitutional way forward for the country, and facilitate the way to greater peace, normalcy, and stability in the interest of all Mozambicans."

He added that the regional bloc remains ready to assist the incoming government and Mozambicans in consolidating their electoral democracy on the basis of the court decision, "which should be held sacrosanct by all."

Mnangagwa said: "Indeed, this is what the rule of law is all about. Further, SADC urges the international community to respect the sovereign will of the people and the Republic of Mozambique, exhorting all concerned to constructively support all processes towards peace, law and order which the country and people sorely need and deserve."

He added: "Our region witnessed a record number of national elections in the last two years, itself a loud testimony that democracy continues to find deeper roots and to flourish in our SADC region."

Mondlane vows parallel swearing-in

SADC member countries are Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, Mondlane, who fled Mozambique citing safety concerns, has reiterated his remarks that he would hold a parallel swearing-in ceremony on January 15, when Chapo will take the oath of office as Mozambique's fifth president.

➤Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.