Frelimo heads of lists: “Generational transition on the march” – Egídio Vaz

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Frelimo heads of lists: “Generational transition on the march” – Egídio Vaz

9:25 CAT | 25 Jul 2019

File photo: DW

Frelimo’s list of candidates for provincial governors is a mixed collection, including governors, business executives and civil servants. Analyst Egídio Vaz praises the party for “rescuing meritocracy”.

The Mozambican Liberation Front (Frelimo) this weekend released its heads of lists for provincial governors and parliament, together with the ruling party’s manifesto for the October 15 elections.

Niassa’s current governor, Francisca Tomás, will run in Manica province, and her Cabo Delgado counterpart and senior member of the party’s youth wing, Julio Parruque, for the seat in Maputo province, while Inhambane governor Daniel Chapo remains in the same province.

Also noteworthy are the selection of former Quelimane Mayor Pio de Matos to run in Zambezia province and of businessman and former Frelimo First Secretary in Sofala, Lourenço Bulha, who will run for office in the same province.

“The right people in the right place”

“I think a generational transition is going on here, it is the rescue of meritocracy,” says Mozambican analyst Egidio Vaz, who praises the ruling party for choosing “the right people for the right place”.

“These are people who are very well integrated in society. Their selection is intuitively demonstrative of the priorities on which the government to be elected, if it is a Frelimo one, will focus,” he observes.

Vaz cites the appointment for Niassa Province of an agronomist and senior official at the National Cotton Institute, Judite Massenguele, at a time when the party wants to focus more on agriculture and prioritise the diversification of export products.

The analyst also points to the choice for Cabo Delgado of Valgy Tualibo, current administrator of Palma in the same province – one of the areas hit by armed insurgents – which could contribute to the security of the region.

Electoral uncertainty

Frelimo has presented its list heads to provincial governors after the other two major political forces in the country, the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) and the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), announced their choices.

Looking at the competitors appointed by the three parties, Vaz believes that anything can happen in some areas of the country. “I look forward to and foresee fierce fighting in Sofala, Zambezia and Nampula provinces, because the opposition has traditionally had the upper hand there. However, given the current political situation of the opposition parties, I think electoral uncertainty is a reality.”

Electoral uncertainty in the predominantly Renamo and MDM areas is due to the major internal upheavals in the two parties, them both currently undergoing reorganisation, the analyst says.

Frelimo focuses on fighting corruption

Frelimo leaves for the October elections with a manifesto focused on the fight against corruption, and in favour of government transparency, social justice and inclusion, according to party leader Filipe Nyusi.

The Mozambican head of state also highlighted the stabilisation of economic development, the improvement of the business environment, the promotion of macroeconomic stability, the development of human capital, the improvement of the Mozambicans’ quality of life, and industrialisation.

Vaz sees these goals as realistic. “[The Frelimo manifesto] focuses essentially on three poles, with its centrality in man, but it also launches an achievable utopia, which is industrialisation, and surely relies on the resources which will eventually begin to flow into Mozambique to diversify the economy,” he concludes.

Source: Deutsche Welle