Mozambique: Youth Parliament fails to pay election observers – AIM

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Mozambique: Youth Parliament fails to pay election observers – AIM

10:04 CAT | 17 Dec 2019

FILE: Youth Parliament headquarters in Maputo, [File photo: VOA Portugues]

Two months after the Mozambican general elections, held on 15 October, the country’s Youth Parliament (PJ) has still not paid the agreed allowances to around 300 youths in Maputo city and province, whom it hired as election observers, according to a report in Monday’s issue of the independent newssheet “Carta de Mocambique”.

The election observation was part of the “Voto Jovem” (“Youth Votes”) programme launched by the PJ. The 300 youths received training in election observation on 11 October, and contacts were agreed on 14 October, including that each of the observers would receive an allowance of 1,500 meticais (about 24 US dollars, at current exchange rates).

But so far these observers have received nothing at all. They complained to “Carta de Mocambique” that, on election day itself, they were not even given a meal. Last Friday, the group called a press conference to tell reporters of their grievances.

The General Secretary of the PJ, Douglas Madjila, recognises that the 300 observers are right, and that the allowances have not been paid. But he claimed the matter is beyond the PJ’s control, and blamed foreign donors.

“The problem is that the partners who worked in coordination with us have not yet made the funds available”, said Madjila, “and so we have no way to make the payments”.

The PJ was founded in 2008, and has been a vigorous component of Mozambican civil society. It defines itself as an “analytical and non-party political platform”, oriented towards the participation of young people in implementing their rights and responsibilities.

Its main goal is defined as “constructively involving young people in activism, dialogue, advocacy and monitoring of political and social processes”, in order to ensure “inclusion, good governance and sustainable development”.

Source: AIM