CIP Mozambique Elections: Frelimo uses State vehicles, hiding number plates

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CIP Mozambique Elections: Frelimo uses State vehicles, hiding number plates

8:08 CAT | 29 Sep 2023

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Wikimedia Commons]

Frelimo uses State vehicles, hiding number plates

Just as in previous elections, the saga of the illegal use by Frelimo of state assets for the election campaign is continuing. In Manhiça, for example, the party has resorted to the strategy of putting posters over the number plates of the vehicles to hide the use of government cars.

In Inhambane, this type of illegality occurs without any kind of fear. The protocol vehicle of the Secretary of State for the province, Amosse Macamo was used in a motorcade during the first day of the campaign in the city of Maxixe.

In Gondola municipality, Manica province, the State vehicle with the number plate AHF 080 MP was used on Wednesday (27 September) for campaign activities. In the Gaza provincial capital Xai-Xai, a government vehicle was used on the first day of the campaign.

In Manhiça town, in Maputo province, Frelimo is using state vehicles to carry its members from one place to another during the election campaign.

Police praised, but questions in Chókwè and Maxixe

Our correspondents report cases where the police avoided clashes between motorcades of Frelimo and Renamo. In the Eduardo Mondlane market, in Manjacaze, Gaza, the police avoided confrontations when a Frelimo “shock group” tried to disrupt the Renamo campaign.

On the first day of the campaign, 26 September, the police avoided a clash between Renamo and Frelimo in the centre of Massinga town. The two parties had scheduled the opening of their campaigns for the same time and the same place.

In Caia, Sofala, the police avoided clashes between Renamo and Frelimo motorcades.

But in Maxixe, in Inhambane province, the police are accused of refusing to open criminal proceedings against Frelimo Party youths who vandalised material belonging to the MDM.

Do the police tell Frelimo about opposition plans?

The norm is for parties to share the plans of their campaign activities with the police, to prevent conflicts. But in some places when they do so, Frelimo becomes aware of their plans and sends its shock groups to disrupt opposition political activities.

In Chókwè, Renamo suspects that the police are sharing the plan of its activities with Frelimo so they know where Renamo intends to campaign. The director of the campaign of the Renamo mayoral candidate in Chókwè accused Frelimo of sending a vehicle full of youths to commit provocations and make a noise near the area where Renamo was campaigning.

In brief

Detentions and assaults

Two Renamo members were detained on the first day of the campaign for flyposting propaganda material before the time allowed (midnight). According to the Renamo delegate in Chiúre municipality, Cabo Delgado, Manuel Nacoherane, the members went flyposting at five minutes before midnight on 26 September. He said that Frelimo members had begun flyposting at around 21.00. On the same day, five members of the MDM were detained for the same reason.

On the first day of the campaign in Alto Molócuè, Zambézia, a Renamo member was detained for tearing down Frelimo posters. He said he regarded it an abuse for Frelimo to put its posters on the door of his house.

In Nampula city, the police recorded four cases of assault related with the election campaign on the first day. Three of these cases are now in the hands of the courts, while in the fourth the person who made the complaint was not present to sign the protest.

Teachers abandoning their classes

In Quissico, capital of Zavala district, in Inhambane, most schools in the municipal area had no classes on Wednesday afternoon (27 September). The teachers were at the Frelimo Party offices.

In Cuamba municipality, in Niassa, on the first day of the campaign, there were no classes in the schools. Many teachers were attending a Frelimo march.

Rather more than 300 pupils from the Josina Machel Complete Primary School, in Chimoio, are receiving classes from trainees, because their usual teachers are being trained as polling station staff (MMVs) for the 11 October elections. In conversation with the CIP Election Bulletin, one of the teaching assistants at that school said the trainees are guaranteeing the classes, as part of their professional apprenticeship.

Source: Centro de Integridade Pública - CIP