The CPLP Electoral Observation Mission for this Wednesday's (09) general elections in Mozambique described the peaceful and "exemplary" atmosphere of the electoral campaign that ended yesterday, Sunday.

According to the head of the CPLP Electoral Observation Mission, João Gomes Cravinho, who met with candidates and heads of electoral observation missions from SADC and African Union countries yesterday, the campaign was "very good".

"Everyone has the same impression that this campaign has been very good, in the sense that all the candidates have been able to do their work without any kind of hindrance," said João Gomes Cravinho, in a publication from the Radio France Internationale (RFI).

According to the official, "there are always one or two incidents", but "they are not incidents to be taken lightly", describing that "thousands of interactions between candidates and voters have been very exemplary".

Regarding complaints from parties and civil society about the reuse of ballot boxes from the 2013 local elections, João Gomes Cravinho recalled that "the National Electoral Commission (CNE) took this position and the Constitutional Council validated it".

The leader of the CPLP observers added that the role of the observers is "to see if the established procedures are all working according to the law and the law in Mozambique gives the Constitutional Council the power to decide".

The CPLP Electoral Observation Mission has 19 observers, including the capital and the provinces of Maputo, Gaza, Sofala, Zambézia and Nampula, and the preliminary report on the observation of the electoral process should be presented on Friday.

Mozambique is holding its seventh presidential elections on Wednesday, at the same time as the seventh legislative elections and the fourth elections for provincial assemblies and governors. According to CNE data, more than 17 million voters are registered to vote.

(Photo DR)