Understanding the Challenges of the Legal Framework in Mozambique

The European Center for Electoral Support (ECES) in collaboration with the Observatorio Eleitoral (member organization of the SADC Election Support Network) and the Technical Secretariat of the Electoral Administration (STAE), conducted a BRIDGE thematic module on the Legal Framework in Maputo, Mozambique.

The training took place between 27-29 October 2015 to strengthen the knowledge of the legal and regulatory framework for elections and to provide the necessary tools to deepen understanding of the Code of Conduct, the electoral system, voter and candidate registration, campaign financing, campaign expenditures, access to the media, freedom of expression, the voting process, counting and tabulation of results, the role of candidates, party agents and observers, among others. This workshop served also as a platform to foster the discussion over the reform of the legal framework of the Mozambican electoral process.

Initially the training was scheduled to 26-28 October, but due local some constraints took place on 27-29 October. Twenty-nine participant’s representatives of Mozambican EMB (CNE and STAE), political parties, civil society organisations dealing with the electoral process and media attend the three-day workshop.

The BRIDGE legal module was held in post-election period, after 2014 General Elections in Mozambique. The workshop aimed at enabling members of the electoral administration, civil society, media and political parties to open a fruitful and constructive discussion on the ongoing electoral reform process and take an active role in the decision making process of such reform.

The participants had been in contact with a dynamic and interactive learning methodoly based on participative activities. The level of participation and commitment of the 29 participants was very high. And the overalls evaluation was very satisfactory, especially on the contents and methodology used.

In 2013, under the same project, 25 semi-accredited facilitators were certified after finishing successfully the TtF. As a result, this workshop allowed also accrediting one of the Semi-accredited facilitator, Augusta Almeida, as full-accredited workshop facilitator.

This training was the first of a series of workshops that ECES organized in Maputo in collaboration with its partners: the STAE and the Observatório Eleitoral.

The training was condutect by fou facilitators: Felisberto Naife (Accrediting Facilitator), Claudio Albasine Langa (Accrediting Facilitator), Rodrigues Timba (Workshop Facilitator), and Augusta Almeida (Semi-Accredited facilitator).