AJUDEM denounces alleged Frelimo intimidation

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

AJUDEM denounces alleged Frelimo intimidation

3:45 CAT | 20 Aug 2018

Members of the Mozambican Youth Development Association (AJUDEM), an organisation that supports the candidacy of Samora Machel Júnior, have denounced alleged intimidation by the Frelimo party secretariat in the city of Maputo.

The AJUDEM complaint was voiced on Saturday by spokeswoman Artemisa Magaia, who said that the KaMubukwane district secretary had told her that the Frelimo first secretary in Maputo, Francisco Mabjaia, had called her in for a hearing.

“I, in particular, have been called by comrade First Secretary of KaMubukwane to say that I will be questioned by Comrade First Secretary of the city of Maputo for Monday. I am on the list of those who will be questioned because they are supporting the candidacy of Comrade Samora Machel Junior,” she said.

Artemisa says the group is calm and confident because it has done everything with a clear conscience and appeals for calm.

“We were not coerced into running for office, we were acting out of free will because we know he was elected by the grassroots. If there is anyone who is trying to intimidate us, we are asking Comrade First Secretary of the City of Maputo, Francisco Mabjaia, where he got the list because, from what we know, the list is still in the CNE and has not yet been disclosed. How he has access to it, that worries us,” Magaia added.

Frelimo spokeswoman Caifadine Manasse has said that talking about Samora Junior is not a Frelimo priority because he is a member just like any other in the party.

“Samora Machel Junior left the party and this strategy we are addressing here is not part of our priorities. Samora Júnior has ceased to be a concern for Frelimo since he joined other political parties. Our priority is to work for the October 10 elections with our own candidates,” Manasse said.

Samora Machel Júnior accepted an invitation to be head of list by civil society in the city of Maputo in the shape of the Youth Association for the Development of Mozambique (AJUDEM), a decision that is contested by some and supported by others.

The son of the second president of the party had been omitted from the shortlist of a candidates for Frelimo head of the list in Maputo city. The list that the Frelimo city committee had sent to the political committee in July included Eneas Comiche, Fernando Sumbana and Razaque Manhique were named, of whom Comiche was elected.

According to sources close to the matter Samora Machel Jr. was already by that time considering the possibility of competing with the support of a group of citizens.

By José Macamo

Source: O País