CIP Mozambique Elections: Following Frelimo instructions does not always pay
FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: O País]
Renamo deputy Vanâncio Mondlane, the main face of the challenge to the current leader of the largest opposition party in Mozambique, Ossufo Momade, presented at the Attorney General’s Office on Monday (18-03) a criminal complaint alleging acts of aggression and torture against two young supporters of his, in the province of Nampula.
Over the weekend, videos circulated on social media showing two young men being subjected to physical and psychological torture, supposedly to prevent them from supporting Venâncio Mondlane, incidents allegedly occurring in Nampula province.
A source from the PGR confirmed this Wednesday (20-03) that this participation includes “facts published on social media that deal with alleged violence and/or physical aggression against two citizens who are supporters” of Renamo, in the districts of Ilha de Moçambique and Nacala-Porto, for opposing the continuity of Ossufo Momade’s leadership.
However, it clarified that, in response to the participation, “the PGR informed the proponent that the facts, referred to here, were already known to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, in the broadest exercise of the function of controlling legality”.
“In this context, the participation was deemed unfounded, given the fact that the Public Prosecutor’s Office unofficially initiated due criminal proceedings, to be carried out with the subordinate and competent bodies, namely, District Attorneys’ Offices of the Republic in the Island of Mozambique and in Nacala-Porto,” the PGR source added.
Torture under orderss?
When submitting the criminal complaint, Venâncio Mondlane stated that he was “shocked” that “a case had not yet been initiated against the attackers”. “There is evidence that this gentleman was tortured and kidnapped at the behest of the president of Renamo, and there is also evidence that the local mastermind is a deputy from the Renamo party. At this moment, we believe that, if there is a person with a public title, this is a crime with double aggravation”, stated the deputy.
Mondlane filed two injunctions this month targeting the Renamo leadership, bodies whose mandate expired on January 17, with no call for an elective congress so far heard.
Venâncio Mondlane ran last October in the local elections in Maputo, for RENAMO, having led around 50 demonstrations with thousands of people in the capital against the official electoral results, which gave victory to FRELIMO (party in power), rejected by the opposition and the candidate.
Renamo has been led by Ossufo Momade since the death of Afonso Dhlakama in May 2018, but the mandate of the party’s bodies expired on January 17. Despite this, party spokesperson José Manteigas in January named Ossufo Momade as a candidate for the position of President of the Republic in the October general elections.
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