Maputo City Council rejects application for debt protest rally

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Maputo City Council rejects application for debt protest rally

2:03 CAT | 20 May 2016

Lusa (file photo) / Maputo city council

Maputo City Council yesterday rejected the application by 14 extra-parliamentary political parties to hold a demonstration this Saturday and Sunday protesting against the government’s undisclosed debts, saying that the document submitted by the organizers is insufficiently clear.

“In terms of the law, it is difficult to determine that this is a demonstration organized by political parties and whether the names presented in the application are the legitimate representatives of these parties,” a letter from the city council to the organizers of the demonstration that Lusa has access to reads.

The letter, signed by Mayor Daviz Simango, points out only two of the 14 addresses are precise enough, the others being too general. “The uncertainty is compounded by the complete absence of any political party details,” it goes on to say, before inviting the organizers to correct the mistakes.

A source from the protesting organizations told Lusa that the group had yesterday corrected the errors and resubmitted the application.

“Everything is ready for the demonstration and now we are waiting for the municipality’s decision,” said a member of one of the parties organizing the event, who declined to be identified.

Meanwhile, Mozambique police spokesman Inácio Dina told Lusa that the corporation is awaiting notification by the municipality, adding that the authorities does not allow demonstrations without proper legal authorization.

“We have not been notified as yet. If they really want to protest, they need a permit from the municipality,” Dina said. Actions that disrupt public order, he added, would not be tolerated.

Interior Minister Basilio Monteiro, this week discouraged participation in the demonstrations, saying they were intended only to “disrupt stability and public order”.

“We want to cultivate an urban, civic attitude that focuses on what is important and benefits society,” the minister said.

Some extra-parliamentary parties have distanced themselves from the demonstration, claiming that the organizers have “a hidden agenda”.

According to the organizers, a total of about 40 extra-parliamentary parties and civil society organizations are hoping to demonstrate on Saturday and Sunday in protest against the recent discovery of large undisclosed government debts and the failure to address the ongoing political and military crisis in Mozambique.

In late April, fear of unrest left Maputo working at half-capacity for a day with access to the centre of the capital heavily policed after social media messages calling for protest, which however came to nothing.

In late April, the Mozambican government recognized the existence of undisclosed state-guaranteed debts totaling US$1.4 billion (EUR 1.25 billion), which it has justified on the grounds of strategic infrastructure security.

The revelation of government-guaranteed loans contracted between 2013 and 2014 led the IMF to suspend the second installment of a loan to Mozambique and delay the deployment of a mission to Maputo.

The G14 group of international donors, currently chaired by Portugal, suspended aid to the state budget, a measure followed by the United States announcing last week that it would review its bilateral support.

In addition to the hidden debt scandal, the Mozambican economy is being shaken by a slowdown in growth, strong devaluation of the metical and rising inflation, to which are added the effects of political and military crisis in the centre of the country.

Source: Lusa