2009 Mozambique Elections - Final Report

At the invitation of the Mozambique Minister for Foreign Affairs and Co-operation, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Mr Kamalesh Sharma, constituted an Observer Group for the Mozambique National and Provincial Elections of 28 October 2009. The Group was led by H.E. Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, former President of Sierra Leone, and comprised eleven eminent persons in total. The Observer Group was supported by a six-member staff team from the Commonwealth Secretariat. A full list of members is at Annex 1.

The Observer Group was present in Mozambique from 21 October 2009. During four days of briefings, the Group met with the National Election Commission (CNE), political party representatives, civil society groups, media, Commonwealth High Commissioners and other diplomats, international organisations, and domestic and international observer missions.

The Observer Group was deployed around the country on 26 October. Two-person teams visited ten of the country’s 11 Provinces: Maputo City; Maputo Province; Gaza; Inhambane; Tete; Sofala; Manica; Nampula; Zambezia; Cabo Delgado. The teams met with other domestic, regional and international observers in each Province, in order to build up a comprehensive picture of the conduct of the process.

During the deployment phase, Commonwealth Observers also met with election officials at the Polling Station, District and Provincial levels, security officials, regional representatives of political parties, media and voters.

On the basis of the Group’s findings and observations, the Chairperson issued an Interim Statement on 30 October (Annex 2). The Group’s Report was completed in Maputo and thereafter transmitted to the Commonwealth Secretary-General.