Comoros: an investigation by the newspaper “Le Monde” into “electoral manipulation”
In an investigation published on February 14, 2024, the French daily
Le Monde
reveals behind the scenes of “
electoral manipulation organized by those in power
” in the Comoros. The investigation concerns the presidential election of January 14, which marked the re-election in the first round of Azali Assoumani. A re-election still contested by the Comorian opposition. The newspaper's investigation is based on unpublished documents and testimonies, notably that of a member of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Polling station officials count votes at a polling station in Comoros, January 14, 2024, the day of the presidential election. AFP - OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT
By: David Baché
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The first revelation from Le
Monde
concerns the appointment of the 4,340 members of the polling stations, whose lists were allegedly “
arbitrarily altered, without justification and at the last moment, by the Ceni
” in the
Comoros
. In Fomboni, capital of the island of Mohéli,
Le Monde
was able to establish that only 42 of the 105 members of the polling stations initially registered were actually present. “
A woman [whom I don’t know] replaced me and officiated in my place in my polling station
,” says a resident of Fomboni. According to the opposition, the new representatives would all come from the presidential movement. International observers told Le
Monde
that they had witnessed “
similar actions
” throughout the archipelago.
“
The army was giving instructions
”
Le Monde
also points out the involvement of the army in the conduct and counting of the vote. Observers from the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) had already pointed this out in their report, without calling into question the legitimacy of the election. A confidential report from the African Union (AU) observation team also points in this direction. “
The gendarmes and the army gave instructions to the members of the polling stations. In short, they played the role of the Céni
,” according to this document consulted by
Le Monde
. The AU considered, in its official conclusions, that the election had “
generally taken place in a free and transparent manner
”.
Read alsoComoros: controversy after the recognition of Azali's re-election by the AU
During the centralization of the results, "
the members of the island electoral commissions were systematically prevented by the Ceni from accessing the data entry centers
", affirms the investigation, which cites several direct testimonies and a letter addressed to the Ceni by its dismemberment island of Mohéli. The course of the election is described as a “
descent into hell
”. “
A so-called computer scientist was dispatched from the Ceni from Moroni, he took up his headquarters in the office of the president of the island commission. For three days, no person was authorized to enter the president's office
,” several commissioners describe.
“
A secret counting room
”
Le Monde
finally collected the testimony of one of the thirteen national commissioners of the Céni, Gérard Youssouf. Mandated by an opposition candidate, “
he claims to have been kept away from the counting operations and entry of results
”. “
There was a secret counting room,”
describes this member of the Céni, “
with around twenty people recruited without consultation. In the tabulation room, there was another team of around thirty people recruited on the same format, (…) without it being possible for us to access these rooms
.” Mohamed Youssouf, who did not attend the proclamation of the provisional results on January 16 so as not to endorse what he describes as an "
electoral masquerade
", also affirms that the minutes of the islands of Anjouan and Moheli had not not taken into account that day. Information confirmed to Le
Monde
by two other members of the Ceni, but contested by its president.
“
Delayed reaction
”
Asked by
Le Monde,
then by RFI, the Comorian authorities did not wish to react officially. A minister judges, off-microphone, that the assertions of Céni Commissioner Mohammed Youssouf denote a “
lack of integrity
. » He is surprised by his “
late reaction
”, the fact that he did not resign and judges that “
it would have been more appropriate for him to express his concerns at the first signs of alleged electoral fraud or immediately after the announcement of results
”. “
As a result
,” concludes this member of the Comorian government, “
his current speech seems to lack credibility
.”
Furthermore, the Comorian opposition, which filed a
request on February 6 with the African Court of Human Rights
in Arusha, Tanzania, to have the vote annulled, is calling on Comorians on February 16 to demonstrate in the various localities of the archipelago.
Read alsoPresidential election in the Comoros: the opposition, on tour, wants to mobilize against the results of the election
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