Africa-Press – Mozambique. The National Alliance for a Free and Autonomous Mozambique (Anamola), the political party set up by former presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane, has called for voting to be made compulsory in the country’s future electoral legislation.
This is one of the proposals contained in draft legislation submitted by Anamola to the commission organising the “National Inclusive Political Dialogue”.
Anamola argues that “the need to vote should be seen as a necessity of the nation. The nation belongs to everyone”. In its submission, Anamola argues that it would be wrong for some people to fight to enjoy the right to vote while others even “sabotage” that struggle.
Anamola proposes that all people aged between 18 and retirement age must vote. Only those above retirement age, or who are illiterate, will be excused from voting, and even they must present a justification for not voting to the district electoral body.
People with a physical disability that makes voting impossible are also excused from voting, although even they must present a justification for not voting.
Anyone who refuses to vote will be subject to a fine of between one and three times the national minimum wage, and will lose the right to apply for documents such as a passport or a driving licence.
Under the Anamola proposal, on election days, and on the day prior to the election, establishments such as restaurants and bars will be banned from selling alcohol and may only reopen after the close of polls.
All fair and markets must close on election days, and anyone who defies this instruction will be charged with the crime of disobedience. During the voting, public drunkenness will be forbidden.
In most of the world voting is optional. But voting is compulsory in Australia, in Belgium, in several Latin American countries (including Brazil and Argentina), and in three African countries (Egypt, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of Congo).
Anamola is the first Mozambican political party to raise the issue. It does not suggest how compulsory voting could be enforced.
