PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has rushed to congratulate Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo) presidential candidate Daniel Chapo amid unrest in that country over the disputed preliminary results.
The final outcome of the presidential, legislative and provincial elections will be announced by Friday.
But preliminary results show a disputed landslide victory for the ruling Frelimo party and its candidate, Chapo.
A preliminary statement from the European Union Election Observation Mission Mozambique (EU EOM) highlighted irregularities in the manner in which the polls were conducted.
The EU EOM said it had observed irregularities during the vote count and unjustified changes to election results at polling station and district levels.
Main opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane has since rejected the results.
On Monday, Mondlane called on his supporters to protest over alleged fraud in the presidential and parliamentary elections held on October 9.
Police in that country responded with violence against the demonstrators.
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Addressing Zanu PF’s politburo meeting yesterday, Mnangagwa said: “Comrades, I congratulate our sister revolutionary party, Frelimo and the President-Elect, His Excellency, Cde Daniel Chapo, as well as the people of Mozambique on their resounding victory during the recently held elections.
“Zanu PF stands ready to cement the long-existing revolutionary unity between our two parties and countries.”
Reports have revealed that a significant number of Zimbabweans voted in that country’s polls in favour of Frelimo.
The Southern African Development Community (Sadc) observed only voting and results counting covering just 1% of the country’s 25 000 polling stations.
Mnangagwa recently took over the chairmanship of Sadc.
Meanwhile, Mnangagwa has called for constitutionalism amid factionalism in the ruling Zanu PF party over a controversial push to extend his term of office through a constitutional amendment.
His term of office comes to an end in 2028.
“Let me reiterate that constitutionalism, discipline, unity, patriotism, loyalty as well as hard work remain indispensable values of our party, which must never be tampered with,” he said.
“I once again thank you all for demonstrating a sustained commitment to ensure the success of both party and government programmes, projects and activities.
“As the events preceding our main conference unfold, let us continue to avail our skills and experience for the work that lies ahead to guarantee responsive and people centred resolutions.”
The Zanu PF annual conference kicked-off in Bulawayo yesterday.
Mnangagwa said the land reform programme was irreversible and protected.
“Section 292 of the Constitution as complemented by sections 289, 293 and 294 obligates the State to give security of tenure to all citizens, including war veterans, their children and other dependents,” he said.
“The Zanu PF government is implementing a land tenure policy to ensure that our agricultural land is bankable, registrable and transferrable among indigenous Zimbabweans.
“This will ensure certainty and enable farmers to conduct their farming activities as a business.”
