MOZAMBIQUE: Election postponement almost certain

Delays have hit the timetable of Mozambique's general elections planned for October and a caretaker government could be
running the country until the polls are held possibly next year, political analysts say.

"The elections will eventually be postponed, logistical aspects have delayed implementation of the timetable," political observer Antonio Gumende told IRIN. The complication is that the constitutional life of the government ends in December, around the time the heavy rains begin, so "the debate is now over a caretaker administration from October to April," according to Gumende.

Alfredo Gamito, the minister of government administration responsible for the elections, accused parliament of being behind the delays. He told IRIN that as a result the government was now weighing the options of shortening the timetable to allow the elections to take place on schedule in October,
or their postponement to December, or even April next year.

"The position is that we must make the elections this year, it's a strong commitment," Gamito said. "If there is a two or three month delay there won't be very big consequences, but if it's more than six months then it's a problem."

He added that "some opposition parties want a delay" and would favour a national unity government because they "are not well prepared" for the upcoming polls. Gamito claimed that the opposition was "unfortunately more fragile" than in 1994, when the ruling Frelimo party won an overall majority in the 250-seat parliament and President Joaquim Chissano 53 percent of the vote.

According to Gumende, a postponement of Mozambique's second multi-party elections until next year would not be a political crisis and a caretaker administration could be "manageable". He added that the failure to stick to the timetable was "a typical Mozambican way of doing things."