In a rare intervention in public life, the Anglican Council of Mozambique (CAM) has appealed to the nation’s National Elections Commission to “observe the Electoral Law and practice the truth.”
The 22 Oct 2023 letter signed by the Rt. Rev. Vicente Msosa, Bishop of Niassa and vice president of the CAM came as the results of the 11 Oct 2023 local elections were being tallied, and speaks to tensions within the leadership of the newest province within the Anglican Communion over the leadership of the acting primate of the church
Tensions have been high across Mozambique with police arresting members of the opposition RENAMO party in the run up to the voting. When the election results were released on 27 Oct 2023, the ruling FRELIMO party gained 20 seats, winning control of 64 of 65 towns, with RENAMO losing all its seats, and the Democratic Movement for Mozambique picking up control of Beria.
RENAMO has charged FRELIMO with fraud in the counting, and riots have broken out in the capital Maputo and in Nampula. Human Rights Watch reports three protestors have been shot by police, including a ten year old boy in Nampula.
The CAM letter, addressed to the head of the National Elections Commission (CNE), the Rt. Rev. Carlos Matsinhe, the Anglican bishop of Lebombo and acting primate of the Anglican Church of Mozambique and Angola, lamented the “possible interference” by outside bodies in the electoral process.
The Anglican Council called on “Mozambicans, voters and political actors to guide their conduct towards peace.”
“To the political parties, we call for the observance of the electoral law and use of the institutions of justice in cases they consider unjustified or illegal. We exhort you to do all you can to preserve peace and all you do, remembering that ‘blessed are the peacemakers because they will be called children of God’. (Matthew 5:9). We clarify that the CNE is an organ of the state and not of any religion or church, including Anglican”, the letter stated.
The bishops’ letter voiced concern over reports of “irregularities in the electoral process”, adding “The situations described above constitute for society a sad and worrying scenario for the country and for the world that aims to be where God is Lord”, they stated.
