Mozambican police commander-general Bernardino Rafael has distanced himself from attempted murder charges brought by two mayors from Mozambique’s main opposition party.
“Leave these politicians, they want to turn the police into the opposition. They do not have a clear manifesto, they want to become victims of themselves. The police want to kill anyone in order to achieve something”, asked Bernardino Rafael, quoted this Monday by the local press.
We are talking, firstly, about a complaint filed, firstly, by the chairman of the municipal council of the city of Nampula, Paulo Waanle, on August 24, who accused a plainclothes member of the High Personality Protection Unit of trying to eliminate him during a public event – a version denied by the police , which states that the agent in question was on duty.
Two weeks later, the president of the municipal council of Quelimane in Zambezia, central Mozambique, Manuel de Araujo, also condemned on his social networks an alleged assassination attempt allegedly carried out by a police officer.
The mayors who brought the police charges are candidates for the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), the main opposition party, in the same municipalities in municipal elections on October 11.
Renamo President Ossufo Momade threatened to “stop the country” if a member of the party was killed, days after the mayor of Nampula condemned the alleged attempted murder.
“If one of the Renamo members is killed, we will stop this country. We have such strength,” said Ossufo Momade, as quoted by local media this Monday.
The General Commander of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) confirmed that the corporation “does not want to kill anyone”, saying that speaking ill of the police is a waste of time and that the agents serve Mozambicans.
Speaking about the elections, Bernardino Rafael recalled that PRM agents are also voters, warning of the loss of votes due to irregularities.
“With so many police officers you insult one, how many votes have you lost? These are politicians who have no vision of their own, this [o mesmo que] cut your leg. We’re just public safety, but remember we’re voters,” the commanding general said.
Bernardino Rafael confirmed that the corporation will carry out its plans and program to protect caravans and candidates during the campaign for local elections.
“We want politicians to come forward and tell us their program and we will go and meet them,” he concluded.
More than 11,500 candidates from 11 political parties, three party coalitions and eight citizens’ groups were cleared by the National Election Commission for local elections on October 11, which will run from September 26 to October 8.
More than 8.7 million Mozambican voters are registered to vote in the sixth local elections, according to previous CNE data, lower than the initial forecast of 9.8 million voters.
On October 11, Mozambican voters will elect 65 new mayors, including 12 new municipalities that will join the 53 already existing.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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