Mozambique: Defence minister sees signs of “firm and credible intention to change” constitutional order

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Mozambique: Defence minister sees signs of “firm and credible intention to change” constitutional order

6:50 CAT | 05 Nov 2024

O País

Mozambique’s defence minister, Cristóvão Chume, acknowledged on Tuesday signs of a “firm and credible intention to change” the constitutional order, warning that if the escalation of violence continued, the Armed Forces would be called upon to “protect” the state.

“If the escalation of violence continues, there is no alternative but to change the positions of the forces on the ground and put the Armed Forces in charge of protecting what are the purposes of the state,” the minister said at a press conference in Maputo, assuming that at the moment the military are only on the ground to support the other security forces and the population.

“We have said that the preparatory acts for the alteration of democratically instituted power are credible,” said Chume, in the same speech, together with other cabinet members, referring to the pronouncements of presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, namely marches to the organs of power.

Before the speech, a video was shown showing the violence of some of the demonstrations that have taken place in the country in recent days.

“No people attack the Defence and Security Forces simply for pleasure. There are no people who prepare a march to Ponta Vermelha [the official residence of the President of the Republic] to take a dip in the pool for pure pleasure,” warned the minister, saying that there are “similar situations” around the world that are being copied to implement them in Maputo.

The minister reminded Mozambicans that the police and the Defence and Security Forces have the mission to “protect power, the people and sovereignty regardless of who governs the country, highlighting the forces’ republican character.”

“In recent days, we have seen an upsurge in preparatory acts with a firm and credible intention of altering democratically established power and the normal functioning of state and private institutions,” warned Chume, for whom the Mozambican Defence and Security Forces and Armed Forces “have the mission” of defending and protecting the country’s sovereignty and security “without getting involved in electoral disputes”.

He said the Defence Forces will continue to be attentive to acts that attack national security and promised to take action within the law.

“Let’s reinforce our vigilance against the risk of destabilising our country because there is a credible danger that this social tension will be exploited by internal and external forces that are harmful to our well-being,” he warned, calling for “respect and trust” for democratic institutions and the Constitution of the Republic of Mozambique.

The minister pointed to the upsurge in what he considered “violent demonstrations”, saying that they are “cementing hatred between brothers” and taking the lives of Mozambicans.

“They are destroying vital infrastructure for the lives of Mozambicans. These violent demonstrations are a serious sign of how divided we are now. We call for unity,” he warned, calling for an end to the violence: “Let’s avoid bloodbaths between brothers. You’ve seen that we have patients who can’t go to hospital, they die at home, civilians have died, policemen have been killed, it means that we have a bloodbath starting.”

Venâncio Mondlane called for a general strike and week-long demonstrations in Mozambique, starting on 31 October, and marches in Maputo on 7 November.

The presidential candidate called this the third stage of the contestation of the results of the general elections on 9 October, following the protests held on 21, 24 and 25 October, which led to clashes with the police and resulted in at least ten deaths, dozens of injuries and 500 detainees, according to the Centre for Public Integrity, a Mozambican non-governmental organisation that monitors the electoral processes.

On 24 October, the National Electoral Commission (CNE) announced the victory of Daniel Chapo, supported by the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo, the party in power since 1975), in the election for President of the Republic on 9 October, with 70.67% of the votes.

Venâncio Mondlane, supported by the non-parliamentary Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos), came second with 20.32% but said he did not recognise these results, which still have to be validated and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council.

Source: Lusa