Filipe Nyusi appeals to Frelimo members to respect the public good

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Filipe Nyusi appeals to Frelimo members to respect the public good

12:54 CAT | 14 Apr 2016

Mozambican president and president of party in government Frelimo Filipe Nyusi yesterday urged members of the party in power to respect the public good and freedom of thought.

In his opening address to the Fifth Ordinary Session of the Frelimo Central Committee, which runs until Saturday in Matola, Nyusi was outlining the conduct expected of Frelimo members when he
said: “We dream of a party member who respects the public good and finds equal opportunity for his self-overcoming.”

Nyusi did not mention specific incidents, although the opposition and civil society organizations often accuse the ruling party of appropriating state assets and several holders of public office and Frelimo officials have been found guilty of corruption recently.

In another part of his speech, Nyusi appealed to members of Frelimo to cultivate freedom of thought, an implicit reference to previous years when diversity of thought and expression drew harsh criticism.

“Our dream is to see a comrade who trusts and is trusted, expressing his thoughts freely and in front of his comrades or any body to which he belongs, who has the discipline of those who use the space of their body to make Frelimo grow Frelimo, to make the country move forward”, emphasized Nyusi.

Later, reiterating that the party’s agenda for 2016 is to strengthen internal discipline, Filipe Nyusi defended the need to respect party veterans’ experience.

“In party discipline, we do not dwell on who is more or less important, more or less influential. We respect and explore the experience of those who have most and have accumulated or acquired more lessons about Frelimo,” the head of state said.

Filipe Nyusi also asked the committee to concentrate their attention on peace, noting that “the lack of effective peace affects economic growth”.

“The peace situation and the behaviour of our economy, although it is part of the regional and international situation, increases the cost of living for Mozambicans and reduces their hope,” he said.

Mozambique is experiencing a political and military crisis characterized by clashes between Mozambican defence and security forces and Renamo’s armed wing in the centre of the country including attacks on military and civilian vehicles on several sections of the country’s principal highway in the region.

In addition, the Mozambican economy has been hit by a sharp fall of the metical against the dollar, a decline in exports and rising inflation as a result low raw materials prices and persistent drought affecting hundreds of thousands of people in the south and centre of the country.

Another threat relates to the risk of worsening public debt, with the country being obliged to restructure a US$850 million loan owed by the state tuna-fishing company Ematum, and media reports of a second undisclosed loan also causing disquiet.

Frelimo’s Central Committee met in extraordinary session in February, when it renewed most of its secretariat. This was the first Central Committee meeting presided over by Nyusi since he took over the presidency of Frelimo in March 2015, replacing former party leader and president of the republic, Armando Guebuza.

Source: Lusa