Mozambique’s main opposition party warns mayors of chaos

Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) President Ossufo Momade warned main opposition party mayors on Tuesday of the “chaos” the Frelimo government is creating in areas the opposition will rule.

“We have prepared our edis [autarcas] counting on social and political difficulties, often imposed by the regime, which have brought confusion and chaos to the local administration in municipalities where opposition parties have won,” Momade said in a message he published on his Facebook page after a meeting with mayors Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), elected in municipal elections on October 11.

The leader of the main opposition party said the organization’s mayors must commit to transforming Mozambican cities into the urban centers of the future that will provide quality life for their citizens.

“On this occasion, we call on the elected mayors to remain firm and confident in our manifestos, with the ultimate goal of serving citizens through participatory, coherent, fair and innovative governance,” Ossufo Momade said.

At the meeting, the Renamo president and the party’s new municipal leaders also discussed the organization of councils and departments, strengthening activities and working together.

Renamo has repeatedly accused the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) government of preventing the central government from transferring funds to opposition authorities, preferring to allocate resources to territories governed by ruling party mayors.

In the October 11 elections, the main opposition party won just three of the country’s 65 local governments: Frelimo won 61 and the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM) one.

The voting results have been strongly disputed by the opposition, which considers them fraudulent, and several election monitoring organizations have reported irregularities in the voting.

All 65 elected mayors will take office on February 7.