Mozambique: The heavy-weights out of the race for the CNE – Carta

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Mozambique: The heavy-weights out of the race for the CNE – Carta

5:03 CAT | 09 Dec 2020

The Ad Hoc Commission of the Assembly of the Republic on Tuesday formally concluded the selection of civil society candidates for membership of the National Electoral Commission (CNE). At the end of the process, which ran from 14 to 28 November last, it chose 16 candidates. But it is not those chosen we intend to address here, but rather the ones left out of the race, a list filled with well-known personalities.

Specifically, the Ad Hoc Commission received 151 applications, and from this total, observing the limit established by law, short-listed 16. The remaining 135 were set aside, 123 for lack of vacancies and the remaining 12 for lack of requirements.

But who are the excluded, after all? For obvious reasons, it would not be desirable to list all 135 excluded candidates, so we will bring only the so-called heavy-weights, some of whom were even taken for granted in the body.

Highlighted in the list of those who would see their aspirations to be part of the National Elections Commission frustrated is journalist and Chairman of Board of Directors of Mediacoop SA., Fernando Lima. Lima’s candidacy was supported by the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique, the same body that supports that journalist Lourenço Jossias, who was, however, shortlisted

Fernando Lima is joined by Jacinta Nhamitambo, a journalist from Radio Mozambique (RM) supported by Fórum Mulher, and well-known activist and lawyer Guilherme Mbilana, a specialist in electoral law supported by the Council of Religions of Mozambique.

Another personality who stands out as failing to renew his mandate is the current mmber of the CNE José Belmiro, whose candidacy was supported by the Martin Luther King Institute of Mozambique.

In the intricacies of academia, two names stand out – university professors Celestino Joanguete and Lucílio Manjate. Joanguete was endorsed by MISA-Mozambique and Manjate by the Mozambican Writers Association (AEMO). Both failed to make it to the shortlist

Reverend Marcos Macamo is another individual from the first phase of the contest who saw his candidacy rejected by the Ad Hoc Commission. Marcos Macamo had been endorsed by the Ecumenical Commission for Social Development.

The former governor of Maputo province of the Armado Guebuza era, Maria Elias Jonas, who was supported by the Council of Religions of Mozambique, also didn’t make it to the shortlist.

One other politician who saw his candidacy fail is the former Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM) candidate for governor of Maputo province, whose candidacy was supported by the Association for the Development of the Environment.

By Ilodio Bata

Source: Carta de Moçambique