The Centre for Public Integrity (CIP), a Mozambican non-governmental organization (NGO), warned today of problems when registration for the local elections on 11 October starts on Thursday.

Registration for the October 11 municipal elections began on Thursday across the country, with the goal of registering almost 10 million voters in 65 districts with municipalities, according to the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE).

According to CIP, "the first day of the census was marked by machine breakdowns at many census offices. In some districts, some census offices did not open due to the late arrival of equipment or breakdowns."

In its report on the electoral process in Mozambique, in the province of Niassa, in the district of Lago, by midday on Thursday only five of the 34 registration posts were in operation, while in the city of Nampula, in the province of the same name, machine breakdowns were reported at some points.

"In the city of Beira, Sofala province, the brigades at Matacune EPC [Complete Primary School] and Samora Machel Secondary School experienced problems," said CIP, adding that: "initially there were difficulties in starting up the machines, but after a while they worked but the printer wouldn't print the voter cards, and until 13:00, the population was told to go home because there was no technician to repair it".

Problems with the machines and delays were also recorded at some census posts in Maputo and Gaza, CIP pointed out.