Implications of diaspora voting on electoral democracy: The case of Mozambique’s diaspora voters in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study examined the implications of Mozambique’s diaspora voting system, focusing on its implementation in Zimbabwe. It investigated the rationale for its adoption, the underlying dynamics, and inherent challenges within Mozambique’s electoral processes. The research sought to deepen the understanding of alleged systematic election rigging and electoral fraud that have contributed to public distrust in the electoral system. Recurrent allegations of electoral malpractices have adversely affected electoral integrity and democratic consolidation in Mozambique. Theoretically, this thesis employed Diamond and Morlino’s quality-of-democracy framework, normative political theory, and the spatial model of party competition pioneered by Anthony Downs and Duncan Black. Methodologically, the study adopted a pragmatic epistemological paradigm and utilised a qualitative case study research design. Data were collected through FGDs, in-depth and semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. By addressing the current lack of empirical evidence on external voting and democracy in Mozambique, this research fills a significant gap in the literature.