Nampula: Disagreement in the Amurane family

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Nampula: Disagreement in the Amurane family

12:47 CAT | 17 Jan 2018

DW / Selemane Amurane, brother of former Nampula mayor Mahamudo Amurane, murdered in 2017

The biological family of former Nampula mayor Mahamudo Amurane’s is criticising his widow for allegedly using her husband’s name to support Frelimo candidate Amisse Cololo in the January by-election in the municipality.

The widow of the former mayor of Nampula, Mahamudo Amurane, has pledged unconditional support from the family for the Liberation Front of Mozambique (Frelimo) candidate in the Nampula by-election. But statements by Maria Luisa Amurane are generating controversy in the city, and in particularly in the Amurane family, specifically among the murdered mayor’s brothers.

The biological family of Mahamudo Amurane, the Nampula mayor who was murdered last October, says it will not support any candidate and believes their sister-in-law has been “coerced” into confusing public opinion.

One of the brothers, Selemane Amurane, told DW Africa that he was “surprised” by his sister-in-law declaring support for Mozambique’s ruling party while the family is still in mourning and without his brother’s death being clarified.

“We do not support the words of my sister-in-law. We are still in mourning,” he said.

Mahamudo Amurane’s younger brother adds that “she is a Mozambican citizen, free to express herself and to vote for whoever she wants, but she cannot use the Amurane family name”.

DW Africa tried to speak to Maria Luisa Amurane, without success.

Also Read: Murdered mayor’s widow endorses Frelimo candidate – AIM report

Waiting for clarification

So far there is no clarity on the identity Mahamudo Amurane’s killers, but the family says they will continue to await a response from the authorities.

Selemane Amurane reiterates that the family of the deceased will not support any candidate competing in the January 24 midterm elections.

“We cannot support a candidate, because my brother had a project and I cannot disappoint my brother’s soul. We wanted to form a party, but we will participate in the [October 10] 2018 elections,” he explains.

Mosambik Arlindo Muririua — Arlindo Muririua, Mozambican analyst

Critics of Frelimo

Analyst Arlindo Muririua understands that the widow of Mahamudo Amurane is free to support any party, but says: “The widow’s thought is not that of Amurane. Who knows if, maybe even when she was his wife, she was not a member of Frelimo?

She must not speak on behalf of the family, but in her own name,” he says.

Muririua does not spare criticism of Frelimo for taking advantage of the elections to pass itself off as a good Samaritan.

“What is not good, morally and ethically, is to give condolences in times of campaign,” the analyst says.

The January 24th by-election follows the assassination of Mahamudo Amurane, the mayor of Mozambique’s third largest city, Nampula, on October 4, 2017, on the same day the country was celebrating the anniversary of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Also Read: Man who defied his destiny assassinated on the Day of Peace – @Verdade

Source: Deutsche Welle