Mozambique Elections |The CC ruling and ‘the final solution to eliminate an opponent’ – Cortez

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique Elections |The CC ruling and ‘the final solution to eliminate an opponent’ – Cortez

6:53 CAT | 06 Aug 2024

FILE - Presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane [File photo: DW]

The Constitutional Council has prevented the Democratic Alliance Coalition (CAD) from participating in the general elections in a decision which benefits parties with seats in parliament and could remove the CAD candidate Venâncio Mondlane from active politics, a Mozambican analyst says.

The purpose of removing the CAD from the October general elections is clear, according to executive director of the Centre for Public Integrity (CIP) of Mozambique, Edson Cortez in an interview with DW: “to eliminate Venâncio Mondlane from the Mozambican political chessboard”.

Mondlane’s presidential candidacy is supported by the Democratic Alliance Coalition (CAD), but the Constitutional Council has now definitively excluded the political force from the electoral process, considering it “not registered” for electoral purposes, “which consequently precludes the possibility or right to present candidacies”.

Cortez says that the CAD’s exclusion is good news for the three parties with seats in parliament (Frelimo, Renamo and the MDM), because Venâncio Mondlane – considered a strong opponent – “will not be able to reach parliament, and we will have five years without him in any sector of active politics”.

Cortezed.dw_ — *FILE – Edson Cortez if CIP’s executive director. [File photo: DW]*

DW Africa: How do you evaluate this decision by the Constitutional Council?

Edson Cortez (EC): I will not go into the technical and legal issues for the exclusion of CAD, because I think that would be an endless debate. I will focus on the political issues. I was almost absolutely certain that the Constitutional Council would vote in favour of the decision of the National Electoral Commission (CNE).

The Constitutional Council is a body as politicised as the National Electoral Commission. So, given that the perspective of Frelimo and Renamo is to eliminate any possibility of Venâncio Mondlane stealing seats in parliament – because, with the support of the CAD, the CAD would certainly win seats in parliament – they tried to find this final solution in order to eliminate an opponent who seemed to have enough strength, with the aim of eliminating Venâncio from the Mozambican political chessboard.

DW Africa: It is worth noting that we tried to contact Venâncio Mondlane, but so far we have not received a response. In your opinion, Edson Cortez, what will the future of this politician be now?

EC: I see Venâncio running as an independent candidate in an election in which the CNE will hand the victory to Daniel Chapo [the presidential candidate of the ruling party, Frelimo]. Venâncio will not be able to reach parliament and we will have five years without Venâncio in any of the active political sectors. That is good enough for Frelimo, Renamo and MDM.

DW Africa: In other words, the three parties with seats in parliament will benefit, since the CAD will be excluded from the legislative, gubernatorial and provincial assembly elections?

EC: Exactly. If this is a “momentary wave”, in five years’ time this wave may have already disappeared. Therefore, it benefits the three political parties.

DW Africa: Do you believe that the CAD, with this decision, will really disappear, or will they resist?

EC: In politics there is also the “tic” of opportunity, as in everything in life. When the opportunity arises, if people are not there, they lose that opportunity – it may even be lost forever. So, they may have definitely lost this opportunity to be elected as representatives of the people in parliament.

Source: Deutsche Welle