Presidential candidate Lutero Simango, president of the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), the country's third largest party, defended mass voting and the maturity of the electorate in the general elections on 9 October, against possible fraud.
"We should all vote, including those in the diaspora. They should vote, because if there is a massive turnout of voters, it is difficult to commit fraud. With a massive turnout of voters, it's difficult to manipulate the results," said Lutero Simango, in an interview with Lusa.
Simango, one of the four candidates vying to succeed Filipe Nyusi as President of the Republic, argued that the "maturity" shown by the Mozambican electorate in the local elections of 11 October 2023 - denounced by various entities as irregular - could also help to stop attempts to rig the next vote.
"There is a significant maturity of our people here. Our people want change," emphasised the MDM candidate and president.
Lutero Simango admitted that he doesn't have "absolute confidence" in Mozambique's electoral bodies, claiming that they are controlled by the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo).
"There is no absolute trust" as long as the ruling party dominates state institutions, including the judiciary, he emphasised.
Electoral conflicts can only be resolved with reforms in public institutions, he argued.
Mozambique is holding general elections on 9 October, which include presidential, legislative and provincial elections.
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