Mozambique: Nyusi calls for an end to abuses at the opening of the 11th Frelimo Congress

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Mozambique: Nyusi calls for an end to abuses at the opening of the 11th Frelimo Congress

11:40 CAT | 27 Sep 2017

Facebook Frelimo Moçambique / Frelimo leader and president of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi addressing the Congress yesterday

Frelimo’s 11th Congress began today under the motto “Unity, Peace and Development”. In his opening speech, Frelimo president Filipe Nyusi called for open debate and transformational change.

Over 2,200 congress delegates will discuss five matters over the six days of the Congress, including “National Unity, Peace, Democracy and National Reconciliation,” “Economic and Social Development,” and “The State, Governance Ethics and Decentralisation”.

In his opening address, party president Filipe Nyusi said that the country’s priority was peace, the intensification of dialogue, national unity and the balanced development of Mozambique.

Nyusi also indicated that the country should be focused on defending national interests above the interests of groups and on consolidating the rule of law.

In a speech that lasted about an hour, the president of the ruling party launched a vigorous attack on corruption, saying that fighting it was the most urgent and vital of all the challenges facing the country.

“There can be no tolerance for illegality, bribery, extortion and other irregularities. Frelimo cannot allow itself to close its eyes to these abuses,” he said.

Bildergalerie Wahlkampf 2014 Mosambik (DW/J. Beck) — Frelimo 2014 election campaign leaflet, Nampula

Regarding decentralisation, a subject Nyusi considers crucial for Mozambican democracy, Nyusi said that its implementation was indispensable to the rule of law and social justice in the country, while emphasising that decentralisation should not threaten national unity.

The Congress will also elect the governing bodies of the party and draw up strategies for the elections next year and in 2019.

Also Read: Profile: Filipe Nyusi, the sometimes impulsive, pragmatist technocrat on the way to re-election

Also Read: Corruption “is the most vital challenge” – Nyusi

Filipe Nyusi approved as candidate for the 2019 elections

Frelimo’s Political Commission has already announced the unanimous nomination of Filipe Nyusi as president of FRELIMO, a position supported by provincial delegations to the Congress and by the Association of Veterans of the National Liberation Struggle.

Veterans’ secretary general Fernando Faustino, considered an interventionist within the party, says that “The ACLLN, as always, is with Comrade President Filipe Nyusi”, adding “We will re-elect him and, consequently, he is our natural candidate for the 2019 elections”.

The Congress will approve FRELIMO’s five-year program, its party statutes and programme, as well as analysing the internal life of the organisation, according to spokesperson António Niquice.

Mosambik Treffen Nyusi und Dhlakama in Gorongosa — Filipe Nyusi (left) and Afonso Dhlakama (right) in Renamo bastion Gorongosa

“Issues such as peace and increased production and productivity will also be at the heart of the agenda,” Niquice added.

The country’s economic situation will also be discussed since, according to FRELIMO member and chairman of the CTA (Confederation of Economic Associations) Agostinho Vuma, “the financial crisis has now been felt in the real economy for plenty of time already”

“This challenges us all, but in particular the leadership of the private sector and also the party that governs Mozambique,” he said.

Speaking about the Congress, opposition party leader Afonso Dhlakama told reporters in Gorongosa at the weekend: “I hope that in this Congress the president, as leader of Frelimo and its candidate for the 2019 elections, is able to unite Frelimo to support him in his negotiations with me [ regarding administrative decentralisation and the integration of Renamo’s combatants in the police and State Information and Security Service)”.

The Frelimo congress is being attended by hundreds of guests, including 1,200 national and 24 foreign delegations.

Also Read: Foreign political parties see Frelimo Congress as an exemplar of democracy – Matola

Source: Deutsche Welle