Mozambique: Manuel de Araújo feels persecuted by Frelimo and MDM

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Mozambique: Manuel de Araújo feels persecuted by Frelimo and MDM

2:59 CAT | 29 Aug 2018

Manuel de Araújo with the Renamo electorate in Quelimane when he moved from the MDM to the largest opposition party. File photo: DW

MDM and Frelimo in Quelimane united to drive Manuel de Araujo out of power, the former mayor says. MDM denies the claim and accuses Araújo of “political marketing”, while Frelimo opts for silence.

The former mayor of Quelimane has been stating, in rallies held in Quelimane, that the MDM and Frelimo formed a united front to thwart him. “We see today what we have always suspected: that there is an MDM-Frelimo coalition. The MDM is no longer an opposition party. The MDM eats breakfast, lunch and dinner [with Frelimo] and sleeps in Frelimo’s bed.”

Manuel de Araújo was removed from the presidency of the city of Quelimane, the provincial capital of Zambézia, last week with the votes of members of Frelimo, the ruling party, and the MDM, the second-largest opposition force. Quelimane Municipal Assembly ruled that the mayor violated the law by leaving the MDM and joining Renamo, the largest opposition party, in July.

Quelimane MDM delegate Listano Evaristo accuses Manuel de Araújo of “political marketing”.

“We have already seen in the Assembly of the Republic the consideration of a document where Renamo and Frelimo voted in favour and the MDM voted against,” he points out. Members of the Quelimane Municipal Assembly gathered and deliberated according to the statutes and law. “We considered and saw that the situation was not legitimate. One cannot pray in the mosque and hold a position in the Catholic Church,” he says.

But Manuel de Araújo says that there was no illegality and that he is being persecuted.

MDM denies allegation

The MDM categorically denies that it is in any coalition with Frelimo. The party’s delegate in Quelimane says that “there is no coalition. There is nothing in writing. This is a political discourse. Araujo wanted the MDM to make a coalition with Renamo. Renamo is a party, Frelimo is a party and MDM is another party: each party has its guidelines”.

DW Africa tried without success to get a reaction from Frelimo. The party’s chief whip in the Quelimane Municipal Assembly, Rijone Bombino, was unavailable for comment.

But as the October 10 local elections draw closer by the day, political parties are holding more and more meetings in preparation for the vote.

Source: Deutsche Welle