Mozambican MPs Approve Law Reforms for October Elections 

MAPUTO. — Mozambican parliamentarians approved on Wednesday two proposals to revise the law on municipal elections, which create conditions for them to take place in October.

The National Elections Commission was recently forced to interrupt the submission of candidates as the law was not approved.

It was an instrument placed at the negotiating table by the main opposition Renamo party and the Mozambican government to end the political and military crisis that began in 2013.

The tool was submitted to the Assembly of the Republic for revision and approval by the president of Mozambique.

The Wednesday extraordinary session of the assembly follows the consensus reached recently between President Filipe Nyusi and the new leader of Renamo party, Issufo Momade.

The revised law brings innovations as the city mayor will be elected from the list presented by the political party that obtains the majority of votes in the elections.

The bill was approved by the three political parties that were also encouraged by the cost reduction to elections that the new bill will bring.

The new bill eliminates by-elections. Moreover the municipal elections will only have one ballot paper and one ballot box, meaning the electorate will not be using two ballot papers, one for the mayor and the other for the party but only one ballot paper, which is expected to bring down cost as well.

– Xinhua