The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) has released its preliminary report on the Presidential, Legislative, and Provincial elections held on October 9, 2024, in Mozambique.
Led by Tanzania, the mission included 53 observers from 10 SADC member states and was deployed across all 11 provinces. SEOM noted that the elections were conducted peacefully, with political activities, voting, and security provided despite terrorism concerns in parts of Cabo Delgado province.
The mission praised Mozambique’s efforts to improve the electoral framework but raised concerns about late legal amendments and recommended revisiting the composition of the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) to ensure non-partisanship.
SEOM highlighted Mozambique’s high representation of women in political and electoral roles, crediting it to a party’s gender parity policy. Media coverage was impartial, and polling stations were accessible, though some lacked facilities for people with disabilities.
SEOM commended the professional conduct of the elections and urged all stakeholders to maintain peace while awaiting official results. A final report will be issued within 30 days, with long-term observers continuing post-election assessments.