By Herman Ramos
On October 9, 2024, Mozambique went to the polls for presidential and legislative elections, but the electoral process quickly proved to be troubled and controversial. Observers from the European Union pointed to serious issues in vote counting, describing it as “slow, disorganized, and lacking transparency.”
In the provinces of Gaza and Sofala, European and national observers witnessed the blocking of opposition party agents, such as those from PODEMOS and NOVA DEMOCRACIA, from entering polling stations, raising questions about the integrity of the process.
European Union observers were also prevented from observing the counting processes in some districts and provinces, as well as at the national level.
As the tallying process unfolded, the Electoral Administration Technical Secretariat (STAE) began releasing district and provincial-level results, indicating a significant advantage for the ruling party, FRELIMO, and its candidate, Daniel Chapo. Fifteen days later, the National Election Commission confirmed these results, declaring Chapo the winner with 70.67% of the vote. FRELIMO also secured a majority in the legislative elections. Meanwhile, presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, backed by the PODEMOS party, came in second with 20.32%, sparking widespread discontent among Mondlane’s supporters.
Mozambique’s National Electoral Commission (CNE) announced Daniel Chapo‘s victory on October 24.
According to Venâncio Mondlane, the results released by STAE (and later by CNE) were manipulated. Mondlane declared himself the winner with 53.30% of the votes after tallying approximately 70% of the original records and polling sheets collected from the voting stations. It was impossible to gather 100% of the sheets due to obstructions from local authorities, which hindered the participation of various delegates in the counting and completing records—a situation noted by European Union observers in their report. In protest, Mondlane called for a nationwide strike on October 21, 2024.
Western observers have questioned the election’s credibility, citing reports of vote-buying, intimidation, inflated voter rolls, and a lack of transparency in the vote collation process—issues that have plagued most elections since Frelimo introduced democracy in 1994 after two decades in power. The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) highlighted irregularities in vote counting and unjustified alterations to election results at polling stations and district levels. It recommended that disaggregated results by polling stations be published, not only as good practice but also as a crucial safeguard for the integrity of the results.
Before the strike could take place, on October 18, 2024, Elvino Dias, a lawyer and representative of Mondlane’s campaign, along with Paulo Guambe, an official of PODEMOS, were brutally murdered around 11 p.m., further escalating tensions.
Following the call for the strike and the initial protests, Mondlane and PODEMOS have turned to social media to organize subsequent demonstrations and maintain communication with their supporters and the general public. In response, the Mozambican government enlisted major telecom operators—Vodacom, TMcel, and Movitel—to disrupt internet access on multiple occasions, hampering the sharing of information and coordination of protests.
Reports from Cloudflare indicate that in recent weeks, there were four disruptions to internet connectivity, beginning on October 25 and recurring on November 3, 4, and 5. Additionally, OONI Explorer, which monitors internet censorship, recorded the blocking of social media apps such as Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and WhatsApp, prompting citizens to use virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass the restrictions. At certain times, internet access was completely shut down, making communication impossible even with VPNs. Some internet providers, such as TVcabo, blocked access to specific social networks (only accessible with VPNs), while others simply reduced data speeds.
These digital restrictions are not new in Mozambique; a similar incident was reported during the 2023 municipal elections when internet access was disrupted as the polls closed, preventing the dissemination of results and leaving the public in the dark about the electoral process.
The internet shutdowns and digital repression have been met with sharp criticism from human rights organizations, especially from the Net Rights Coalition (NRC), a pan-African alliance of digital rights defenders. In an open letter to the National Communications Institute of Mozambique (INCM), the NRC emphasized that restrictions on internet and social media access violate the fundamental rights of Mozambicans to freedom of expression and access to information—key pillars of any democratic society.
The Net Rights Coalition (NRC) letter also pointed out that internet disruptions during electoral processes represent “intentional digital fragmentation,” designed to suppress citizens’ ability to freely communicate and monitor events that shape the country’s future. According to the NRC, such actions are aimed at destabilizing social mobilization channels, leaving the population reliant on information that is controlled and manipulated by the government. The NRC also highlighted that these measures contradict the principles of transparency and accountability Mozambique has pledged to uphold under international human rights treaties, notably the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), which guarantee the protection of these fundamental rights.
On 7 November 2024, undersigned organizations, and members of the #KeepItOn coalition — a global network of over 334 human rights organizations from 105 countries dedicated to ending internet shutdowns—urged the Mozambican government to cease its increasing use of shutdowns amid ongoing protests and police crackdowns. The coalition emphasized that internet shutdowns violate human rights, referencing Article 48 of the Mozambican Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression and access to information as fundamental rights.
These concerns highlight the detrimental impact of such actions on freedom of expression and electoral transparency, particularly when enforced during pivotal moments for the country’s democratic process.
Despite the ongoing post-election crisis caused by contestations over the results of the October 9th election, the continuation of digital restrictions has severely hindered access to information about the ongoing protests and the electoral process, limiting citizens’ ability to fully exercise their rights. Beyond the political and social implications, these restrictions also have broader economic consequences, as the internet and social media platforms are essential not only for communication but also for work, information access, and academic research.
In a context where allegations of electoral fraud are intensifying and where access to information is a fundamental right, digital repression only exacerbates tensions and fuels public dissatisfaction. International organizations and digital rights advocates continue to pressure the Mozambican government to restore connectivity and uphold its citizens’ right to free access to information. However, the future remains uncertain, and Mozambicans are left without assurances that they will be able to express themselves and organize without facing digital barriers imposed by their own government.