CIP Mozambique Elections: Nacala (Renamo) mayor under house arrest

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CIP Mozambique Elections: Nacala (Renamo) mayor under house arrest

6:01 CAT | 20 Dec 2023

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Sala da Paz]

Court orders house arrest and suspension from office of mayor of Nacala

Nacala mayor, Raul Novinte, the mayor’s head of information, Arlindo Chissale, and eight other Renamo members are charged with “incitement to collective disobedience and public instigation to commit a crime”, relating to Renamo’s campaign to boycott the rerun of elections on Sunday 10 December.

The Nacala court, saying it was acting on a request from the Attorney General’s office, imposed a 30 day house arrest on Novinte and Chissale and prohibited Novinte from carrying out his functions as mayor.

The prosecutors claim the mayor was the “moral author” of the Renamo demonstrations in Nacala, and is thus responsible for the damage caused during these protests, including a fire at one of the schools were voting was to take place. At the time of the fire, Novinte was in Maputo negotiating the central Renamo leadership.

Quelimane mayor Manuel de Araujo, who has been re-elected, went to Nacala Sunday (17 December) to express his solidarity. He said the under the law, the court did not have the right to suspend the mayor. He was sure the decision would already have been overturned if the suspended mayor had been a member of the ruling Frelimo Party.

“I am critical of the leadership of my party for its silence”, he told AIM. “I think the party should have taken a clear and more daring position towards this case of injustice against an elected mayor”.

There is some discontent within Renamo about the relatively passive response of Renamo President Ossufo Momade to the widespread electoral fraud. In the election Renamo gained significant support in urban areas. A younger group based in the municipalities is taking the lead including Novinte, de Araujo and mayoral candidates Venancio Mondlane in Maputo and Antonio Muchanga in Matola. Renamo should have a Congress in January, and if it takes place Momade would be challenged by the new push from the cities.

Source: Centro de Integridade Publica - CIP