The National Electoral Commission (CNE) has scheduled the destruction of the ballot papers from the October 9 general elections for January 17, at a time when Venâncio Mondlane is still demanding that the electoral truth be restored.

However, in an interview with DW, legal expert and researcher at the Center for Public Integrity (CIP), Ivan Maússe, says that the decision could further inflame tempers in the country.

In the jurist's opinion, the material that the CNE has would be important for the different stakeholders in this process to show to external institutions that may intervene in Mozambique.

The specialist in electoral law explained that despite being legal, the destruction of ballot papers "just three months or so" after the election may reflect "the CNE's fear" of an investigation into the electoral process.

"It's still too early to make this destruction, because there are still external mechanisms" [for appealing the results], explained the lawyer. In the same interview, Maússe predicted a climate of uncertainty for the coming days, especially with the arrival on Thursday of the presidential candidate of the PODEMOS party, Venâncio Mondlane.

"There may be moments of tension [caused by] the supporters of Venâncio Mondlane and Daniel Chapo, with the possibility of the use of police forces, as has been happening, to disperse the masses," he said.

"The demonstrators [supporters of Venâncio Mondlane] may want to jeopardize the official swearing-in ceremony, and this could end in deaths and injuries," he said.

He also said that in the Mozambican legal system, several other laws make it compulsory to keep the material for at least three to five years - for example, in commercial banks, even in the central bank and many other institutions.

The expert says he doesn't understand why the CNE wants to destroy material from an election that dates back three or four months, even though it is legal.

(Source: DW)