Mozambique: Post-election tension an opportunity to “refound the State”

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Mozambique: Post-election tension an opportunity to “refound the State”

4:04 CAT | 26 Nov 2024

O País

A group of Mozambican academics and activists argued yesterday, after a meeting with President Filipe Nyusi, that the post-election tension the country is experiencing should serve as an opportunity to “refound the State”, calling for a more holistic debate.

“This moment is an opportunity to raise awareness in society about the need to discuss not only electoral issues. We are aware that the main concern people have at the moment is discussing electoral justice, but Mozambique is not just that. There are many other problems (…) Our goal is to discuss Mozambique (…), from the ground up,” declared the group’s spokesperson, lawyer and university professor Tomás Timbana.

Timbana was speaking to the press at the Presidency of the Republic, moments after a meeting with the Mozambican head of state, Filipe Nyusi, to present the “Manifesto for the Citizen”, a document produced by this group, which brings together several leading figures from the fields of philosophy, journalism, economics and political science.

According to Timbana, the meeting served to present the manifesto to the president at a time when Mozambique is “called to refound the state” in the face of electoral protests, with clashes between protesters and the police resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries across the country.

The Mozambican head of state has invited the presidential election candidates to a meeting on Tuesday to “discuss the country’s situation in the post-election period”.

According to the spokesperson for yesterday’s group, the Tuesday meeting was not discussed, although one of the individuals proposed by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who called for the demonstrations, to “represent Mozambicans” at the meeting with Nyusi is part of the group of academics who served as president: Mozambican philosopher Severino Ngoenha.

“The President of the Republic and the candidates will have complete freedom to discuss whatever they deem appropriate, taking into account their interests and the responsibilities that each of the entities has,” Timbana stressed.

The meeting is scheduled to take place in Filipe Nyusi’s office in Maputo this Tuesday at 4:00 pm, with presidential candidates Daniel Chapo, Venâncio Mondlane, Lutero Simango and Ossufo Momade present.

Venâncio Mondlane on Friday demanded the immediate dropping of all legal proceedings against him by the Mozambican Public Prosecutor’s Office, and his participation by virtual means as a condition for taking part in the meeting.

Mondlane, who does not accept the results announced by the National Electoral Commission (CNE), which still have to be validated by the Constitutional Council, pointing out several irregularities in the electoral process, rejects a dialogue “behind closed doors” and with “little secrets”.

Venâncio Mondlane disputes the awarding of victory to Mozambique Liberation Front candidate Daniel Chapo with 70.67% of the vote, according to the results announced on October 24 by the CNE.

Ossufo Momade, presidential candidate and leader of the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), the main opposition force, accepted Filipe Nyusi’s invitation on Sunday, provided that all four candidates who ran participate.

Candidate Lutero Simango, who is also the leader of the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM, the second largest opposition party), which has already called for the general elections to be annulled and for the vote to be repeated, confirmed that he will participate in the meeting on the same conditions.

The Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo, the ruling party) also confirmed on Monday the presence of presidential candidate Daniel Chapo at the meeting scheduled by the Mozambican president, “reaffirming its commitment to promoting political stability in the country”, according to a note from the party sent to Lusa yesterday.

Source: Lusa