Mozambique Elections: Frelimo candidate needs to be discussed - Former President
Image: Social Media
Venâncio Mondlane says that he wants to take Mozambique into a “new era” and eliminate “partisan fundamentalism” in the country. He was speaking on Thursday (06-06) after submitting his candidacy for President of the Republic in the October 9 general elections.
“This is a candidacy that demonstrates a new era for Mozambique, the era of the CAD [Coligação Aliança Democrática- Democratic Alliance Coalition]. The era in which we have to put an end to party fundamentalism, we have to move towards a common agenda, a national agenda, we think about a national project far beyond the circle where we think that we are the ‘donos’ [the owners],” Venâncio Mondlane told the media outside the Constitutional Council (CC) in Maputo, after submitting his candidacy.
The Mozambican politician submitted 20,000 signatures to the CC, out of a total of 110,000 collected since May in support of the CAD, which brings together nine political formations.
Venâncio Mondlane said he joined the coalition to signal to Mozambicans that the next era of the country’s politics must be one of “reconciliation, unity, coalition and a common agenda”.
“I believe that I can reach the Presidency of the Republic, because I think I am technically, politically and civically prepared for the purpose,” the former Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) deputy added. He also highlighted his candidacy’s “unquestionable demonstration” of popular support.
The politician said that he already has a draft of his manifesto, in which he states that he will do his best to secure the dreams and future of Mozambicans.
“The desire, the will and the manifestation of being a candidate was not motivated by Venâncio’s exclusive will. It was a response to a popular outcry that I should do it, so I think that, in this way, there is no fear that I will be elected,” he said.
Mondlane resigned as deputy in the Assembly of the Republic and member of Renamo on Monday, “as a result of a profound awareness of the need to search for more efficient means and a favourable political atmosphere to continue his fight in defence of democracy full”, the resignation document released by the politician reads.
A member of Renamo since 2018, he says that he took the decision after deep reflection and due to the need to “seek alternative means to continue promoting the ethics, principles and values of a full democracy”.
The 50-year-old was a Renamo candidate in the last (2023) municipal elections in Maputo, and now wants to run for president in the October elections, after failing to run for Renamo leadership at the congress held in May.
Venâncio Mondlane’s candidacy brings to seven the number submitted to the CC for the Presidency of Mozambique, including that of Dorinda Catarina, from the National Movement for the Recovery of Mozambican Unity (Monarumo), the only woman so far to present a proposal.
The three other candidates supported by the three parliamentary parties also presented their candidacies, namely Ossufo Momade, supported by Renamo; Lutero Simango, supported by the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), the third parliamentary force; and Daniel Chapo, supported by the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), the party in power.
Monday is the deadline for presenting the lists of candidates for President of the Republic in the October elections to the Constitutional Council.
Mozambique will hold its seventh presidential and legislative elections on October 9, at the same time as the second for provincial governors and the fourth for provincial assemblies.
The current president, Filipe Nyusi, in office since 2014 and who is also president of Frelimo, can no longer run, as he has reached the constitutional limit of two terms.
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