The Constitutional Council (CC), which is exclusively responsible for validating elections in Mozambique, yesterday annulled the decision to invalidate the ballot in Chókwè, which had been taken by a district court.

According to the CC, it is exclusively up to the body to annul ballots, although it admits the existence of irregularities raised by the opposition that will be evaluated in "its own process".

In a ruling released this Tuesday, the Constitutional Council begins by stating that it is annulling the decision of the Chókwè District Court in the part that "declares all acts carried out by the Chókwè District Electoral Commission invalid and null and void".

In this sense, "the CC confirms the order of the Chókwè District Court in the part that refers to the Public Prosecutor's Office the evidence of acts that could constitute electoral offenses". And finally, it refers the illegality of the Chókwè District Commission's decision not to accredit the candidate delegates of the New Democracy (ND) party, for its assessment at the stage of validation and proclamation of the election results of the Chókwè municipality by the CC.

"Therefore, it will only be at the stage of validating and proclaiming the election results that it will be clear whether or not the election will be repeated in that municipality," concludes the CC.

The sixth local elections in Mozambique took place in 65 municipalities on October 11, including 12 new municipalities, which went to the polls for the first time.

According to district and intermediate provincial results released by electoral bodies in recent days for 50 municipalities, Frelimo won in 49 and MDM in Beira.

At least five district courts have already recognized irregularities in the elections and ordered the repetition of various electoral acts, in some cases with the electoral bodies and the ruling party submitting appeals to the Constitutional Council (CC) challenging the sentences, judgments and orders of the district courts