Commonwealth announces Group to observe Mozambique elections

A Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) will be present during Mozambique’s National and Provincial Elections due to be held on 28 October 2009. The COG will be led by former Sierra Leone President HE Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.

The Group was constituted by Commonwealth Secretary-General Mr Kamalesh Sharma at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation of Mozambique, HE Mr Oldemiro Baloi.

“This is an important election and provides the people of Mozambique with an opportunity to consolidate the democratic gains they have made”, the Secretary-General said.

The Group’s mandate is to observe the preparations for the election; the polling, counting and results process and the overall electoral environment. The Team is to assess the overall conduct of the process and, where appropriate, make recommendations for the future strengthening of the electoral process in Mozambique.

The Group will act impartially and independently and shall conduct itself according to the standards expressed in the International Declaration of Principles for Election Observation to which the Commonwealth is a signatory.

The Group’s report will be submitted to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will in turn send it to the Government of Mozambique, the National Election Commission of Mozambique and political parties, and eventually to all Commonwealth Governments.

The Commonwealth Observer Group will comprise 11 eminent persons, including the Chair. The team will arrive in Mozambique on 21 October 2009 and stay until

4 November 2009.

The full composition of the Group:

Chair: HE Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah

Former President

Sierra Leone

Hon Mrs Sheila Holder MP

Member of Parliament

Guyana

Professor Nazmul Kalimullah

Chairman, National Election Observation Council (JANIPOP)

Bangladesh

Professor Ibrahim Lipumba

National Chairman, Civic United Front

Tanzania

Mr Comfort Mabuza

National Director, Media Institute of Southern Africa

Swaziland

Hon Mrs Akosua Osei-Opare MP

Member of Parliament

Ghana

Hon Mrs Dorothy Pine-McLarty

Member, Election Commission

Jamaica

Mr Elijah Rubvuta

Executive Director, Forum for Democratic Process (FODEP)

Zambia

Dr Andrew Russell

Academic, University of Manchester

UK

Ms Thembi Thadzi

Regional Youth Co-ordinator

Malawi

Datuk Christopher Wan

Member, Election Commission

Malaysia

For media enquiries, please contact:

Victoria Holdsworth, Communications Officer, Commonwealth Secretariat, on v.holdsworth@commonwealth.int or +44 (0)7894 593 520 (UK mobile) or +258 82 41 86 594 (Mozambique mobile).