Mozambique Elections: Renamo threatens military action; opposition teachers moved – Hanlon

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Mozambique Elections: Renamo threatens military action; opposition teachers moved – Hanlon

3:09 CAT | 05 Oct 2018

Ossufo Momade. File photo: Lusa

Renamo could mobilise its armed wing to prevent fraud on 10 October, interim leader Ossufo Momande said in a telephone statement today (4 October). “Our supporters ask the Party to have the ‘Rangers’ intervene in their defence, since the police do nothing,” he said. He was referring to the impunity of Jose Dziwane, a police officer and Frelimo Neighbourhood Secretary who shot a member of Renamo in the 5th Police Station in Tete when he was about to denounce Frelimo supporters who destroyed Renamo campaign material. The agent remains unpunished and there is no criminal action against him.

“We are aware that on voting day, citizens who reside outside the municipalities, as well as Zimbabweans and South Africans, will go to the municipalities to vote fraudulently for Frelimo. We are also aware that groups from defence and security forces are being prepared to be at polling stations, creating disturbances in order to facilitate the stuffing of ballot boxes and invalidating Renamo votes,” Momade said.

Then he threatened: “If Frelimo does not order its comrades to stop this plan, we will have no choice but to order our rangers to thwart this intention.”

3 teachers transferred

Two Massinga, Inhambane, secondary school teachers were transferred to a primary school outside the municipality after they publicly showed their support for Renamo. They were moved from Escola Secundaria 28 de Janeiro in Massinga to Escola Primaria de Cofe, in rural Lionzuane.

In Milange, Zambezia, the number two on the Renamo list has been transferred to a school 100 km away.

Refusing a transfer means automatic expulsion from the civil service.

Other News

Frelimo has protested to the Gurue District Elections Commission (Comissao Distrital de Eleicoes, CDE) that the MDM, currently in power in the municipality, is recruiting members of the municipal police to be MDM poll watchers (delegates).

Two containers of voting material for seven Nampula municipalities were opened in the presence of press, police and election officials, but not the political parties, who were not informed. The material is for Malema, Ribaue, Monapo, Angoche, Ilha de Mocambique, Nacala and Nampula city.

Sofala received its voting materials yesterday, 3 October. This includes ballot papers, results forms, manuals, voting booths, etc. They will be distributed to municipalities Monday and Tuesday, for the 10 October poll. There are 382 polling stations in Beira, 60 in Dondo, 60 in Nhamatanda, 31 in Gorongosa and 24 in Marromeu.In Massinga, a Frelimo member nicknamed Superman was set free after being jailed for assault against a Renamo member, after he paid MT 13,000 ($215) to the victim.

InChibuto, Gaza, MDM and Renamo campaign material is being vandalized every day, and in the 14 neighbourhoods only Frelimo poster can be seen, with opposition posters all tron down.

A Renamo member has been arrested in Alto Molocue for “using injurious words against the police” during the campaign, district commander Antonio Sainda told this Bulletin.

Stallholders in 38 MM market in Chimoio blocked Frelimo campaigners yesterday. The traders say the Frelimo administration is cancelling licences and giving them to friends and foreigners.

The campaign so far has been positive in Manica, according to both Salomao Bartolomeu Dias, Frelimo campaign director, and Renamo vila Manica head of list Zolinho Nanganan

Police say MDM involved in Nampula mayor’s murder

In an odd announcement on the first anniversary of the 4 October 2017 shooting and killing of the MDM Nampula mayor, Mahamudo Amurane, the criminal investigation service (O Servico Nacional de Investigacao Criminal, Sernic) said they had 10 suspects. Lusa reports that the spokesman Leonardo Simbine said the suspects included senior MDM officials, but would give no more information.

By Joseph Hanlon

Source: Mozambique Political Process Bulletin