Mozambique’s main opposition party accuses government of intimidating diplomatic corps

The President of Renamo, Mozambique’s main opposition party, Ossufo Momade, this Saturday accused the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Veronica Macamo, of “intimidating the diplomatic corps” and fraud in the October 11 municipal elections.

“Because the Frelimo party [Frente de Libertação de Moçambique, partido no poder] aware of its bitter defeat, just recently we saw how the leader of this party, dressed in the robe of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, intimidated the diplomatic corps accredited to the Republic of Mozambique and international organizations so that they did not express their position on the issue with the aim of rigging the election campaign ” Ossufo told Momade.

The leader of the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) spoke at a press conference at which he said that the main opposition party does not recognize the results of the October 11 local elections announced on Friday by the Constitutional Council (CC).

“We take this opportunity to thank these organizations [internacionais] for openly supporting peace and democracy in Mozambique,” Momade said.

The international community, he continued, should not give in to the “threats” allegedly emanating from the Mozambican authorities, since “the people of Mozambique and their interests stand above Frelimo.”

On Wednesday, Mozambique’s Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Veronica Macamo told ambassadors she believed the sixth local election process would “end well,” asking the international community to trust the country’s institutions to resolve disputes.

“We believe that this process, like the previous ones, will end successfully, because Mozambicans want peace and development in the country,” Veronica Makamo conveyed this message, Foreign Ministry spokesman José Matsinhe told reporters, citing the Head of Diplomacy after the meeting closed doors to Maputo with diplomatic missions represented in Mozambique, including Brazil, Italy, Angola, South Africa, France, Kenya, Russia, Japan and China.

At the meeting, the minister and the diplomatic corps outlined the three phases of the sixth local elections on October 11, namely pre-election, electoral and post-election, with Mozambique’s ruler saying the process demonstrated the “vitality, growth and consolidation” of the country’s democracy.

For the minister, the spokesman said, all stages of voting were conducted in accordance with the principles and norms of the rule of law in Mozambique, given that the “massive participation” of voters was a “clear illustration of the exercise of their rights.” and responsibilities.”

Mozambique’s head of diplomacy called on the international community to trust the country’s people and institutions to resolve their disputes, and also thanked diplomats for their support and solidarity.

Veronica Makamo is not only the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, but also the representative of Frelimo in the elected bodies).

This Saturday, the President of Renamo said in Maputo that the main opposition party does not recognize the results of the local elections announced by the Constitutional Council (CC), calling on the population to demonstrate.

The CC, the final court of appeal in Mozambique’s electoral processes, on Friday declared Frelima the winner of the October 11 municipal elections in 56 municipalities against the previous 64, with Renamo winning four, and ordered the elections to be repeated in four other municipalities. .

“In view of this disgrace for democracy and the denial of the will of the Mozambican people, the Renamo party reiterates that it does not recognize the published results,” the Renamo president said at a press conference.

The main opposition political force “calls on all Mozambicans to continue demonstrating” and will turn to international organizations to restore “electoral truth,” he continued.