List of parties standing – Renamo blocks break-away | CIP Mozambique Elections

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

List of parties standing – Renamo blocks break-away | CIP Mozambique Elections

8:11 CAT | 20 Jul 2023

File photo: O País

Renamo blocks approval of break-away party

Mozambique’s National Elections Commission (CNE) has approved 22 of the 23 political parties, coalitions and groups of citizens which applied to register for the municipal elections scheduled for 11 October. But Renamo has blocked the registration of the Democratic Revolution (RD) party, on the grounds that it is using Renamo symbols. RD was founded by Renamo dissidents who oppose the leadership of Renamo President Ossufo Momade. It is led by a former senior Renamo figure, Vitano Singano.

On 14 July, Renamo presented a request to the CNE calling for the rejection of RD’s registration because the symbols used by RD are similar to those of Renamo. RD is using, on its emblem pictures of the founding leader of Renamo, André Matsangaiça, and his successor, Afonso Dhlakama. The final decision will be known today (19 July) after a meeting of the CNE. The final CNE decision should be known today (19 July) after a meeting of the CNE.

Approval is expected because members of Frelimo on the CNE believe that there is no similarity between the symbols used. The Renamo emblems are a partridge, ten yellow stars, and three arrows arranged horizontally from left to right,. The emblem of the RD is a blue square on a white background, which shows pictures of André Matsangaiça, in the lower left-hand corner, and of Afonso Dhlakama, in the upper right-hand corner.

After discussion at its meeting on Monday (17 July), the CNE did not approve registration of the RD, but on Tuesday (18 July) it notified the two parties to be heard before the Commission. Renamo was represented by Saimon Macuiane, chairperson of the Renamo Jurisdictional Council. During the hearing chaired by the CNE’s Commission on Legal and Ethical Matters (CALD), the Frelimo representatives on the CNE stuck to the idea that the RD has not broken the law, because there is no similarity between the symbols of the two parties. Today (Wednesday, 19 July), the decision will go to a vote.

Renamo is already preparing an appeal to submit to the Constitutional Council, if the Frelimo majority votes in favour of approving the registration of the RD.

The CNE approved the registration of 22 organisations, including three coalitions and three independent groups of citizens. The number of political parties, coalitions of parties and groups of citizens is not yet definitive, since there are those who registered in the provinces, and their paperwork had not yet reached Maputo.