By Political Reporter- ZANU PF party is helping Mozambique’s ruling FRELIMO party rig elections slated for October this year. 

Reports from Masvingo Mirror detail a disturbing scheme where thousands of Zimbabwean nationals are being enlisted to vote in Mozambique’s presidential and parliamentary polls, with the apparent support of ZANU PF.

According to Masvingo Mirror’s investigative team, registration stations, notably one located at Nemamwa Growth Point just 25km southeast of Masvingo, have been actively issuing voter registration cards to Zimbabweans. Among these registered individuals are the publication’s own reporters, who obtained plastic voter registration cards during a visit to the registration center this past Tuesday.

Gloria Salvador, a spokesperson for RENAMO, Mozambique’s largest opposition party, has voiced concerns over the alleged electoral manipulation, asserting that evidence supporting these claims is already being gathered. The situation is so grave that it has prompted RENAMO to dispatch investigators to Zimbabwe for further inquiry.

This revelation comes in the wake of Mozambique’s local authority elections last October, which were marred by allegations of rigging, sparking violent protests across the nation. The current voter registration process, reportedly initiated on April 22 and set to continue until April 28, has raised suspicions with its long queues and the conspicuous presence of desks labeled with the insignia of ZANU PF.

While RENAMO’s aspiring presidential candidate, Venancio Mondlane, was unavailable for immediate comment, FRELIMO representative Samuel Jemua vehemently denied the accusations, stating that all those registering are Mozambican nationals, eligible to vote from abroad.

However, Mozambique’s National Election Commission (CNE) chairperson, Bispo Carlos Matsinhe, has refuted this assertion, labeling the registration of Zimbabweans as a mistake. Unlike Zimbabwe, Mozambique permits its citizens in the diaspora to vote, yet the current influx of registrations appears to be an anomaly.

The lack of accountability from ZANU PF officials, including spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa, further adds to the suspicion surrounding these activities. Farai Marapira, ZANU PF’s communications director, has distanced the party from the alleged scheme, asserting their commitment to democratic principles.

Despite these assurances, the registration of Zimbabweans for Mozambique’s elections continues not only in Nemamwa but also in other parts of the country, prompting outrage from Zimbabwean opposition figures. Nelson Chamisa, leader of Zimbabwe’s main opposition, decried the situation as ‘massive rigging of encyclopedic magnitude,’ while MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora cautioned against Zimbabwean interference in Mozambique’s internal affairs, citing concerns over sovereignty.

Amidst this controversy, ordinary Zimbabwean citizens like Precious Gwangwava and Robina Mudura express mixed motivations for registering, ranging from a desire to exercise their voting rights to economic incentives tied to Mozambique’s political landscape.

As Mozambique braces for a pivotal election, with incumbent President Filipe Nyusi constitutionally barred from seeking a third term, the specter of external interference looms large, casting a shadow over the nation’s democratic process and threatening the integrity of its electoral system.”