Police “are at the disposal of political parties”

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Police “are at the disposal of political parties”

8:02 CAT | 24 Sep 2018

Bernardino Rafael in Nampula. Photo: Folha de Maputo

The general commander of the Mozambican police, Bernadino Rafael, on Thursday promised to put the police force at the disposal of the various political forces competing in the municipal elections scheduled for 10 October.

Rafael was speaking in the northern city of Nampula, at a meeting with the mayoral candidates and other representatives of the parties standing in this municipality. He declared that the police is entirely at the service of the parties and their candidates.

“The objective of the police is that the elections should take place without any alteration in public order and security”, he said. “Let there be no mutual threats in these elections. The police is here to accompany your campaigning activity until it ends on 10 October”.

He added that policemen will be present at all polling stations to ensure compliance with the law during the voting.

Rafael urged the political parties to read and to understand the electoral legislation, and gave as an example the clause on police presence at voting sites. “The legislator said that there should be no armed force within a 300 metre radius of the polling stations – except for the police”, he pointed out. The law states that one police officer may be present at each polling station to protect, but no other person with a weapon is allowed to enter the station.

Rafael praised the civic behaviour of the Nampula electorate during the two rounds of the mayoral by-election held in the city earlier this year. He also urged the political parties to denounce any illicit behaviour by individual members of the police, whose actions “stain the good name of the force”.

In response, to Rafael’s appeal, the mayoral candidate of the ruling Frelimo Party, Amisse Cololo, asked all the other candidates to commit themselves to the civic education of their supporters, and to “teach them to obey the law”.

Ossufo Alane, representing the candidate of the former rebel movement Renamo, and current mayor, Paulo Vahanle, who was absent for reasons of health, argued that the police should only intervene “when necessary”.

The mayoral candidate of the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM), Fernando Bismarque, shared the Renamo misgivings about the police. He said that the attitudes of the police during previous elections led to suspicions about their real intentions.

“The police should guarantee that the elections take place normally, and leave politics to the politicians”, he urged.

Over the next few days, Rafael intends to visit the other six municipalities in Nampula provinces, namely Nacala, Mozambique Island, Angoche, Monapo, Ribaue and Malema.

Source: AIM