Last week, Caifadine Manasse, a member of the Frelimo ruling party Central Committee, member of parliament, and party spokesperson and head of mobilisation of the party’s Central Committee secretariat from 2017 to September 2022, sued 23 of his comrades and members of parliament from the Zambézia province constituency for allegedly defaming and slandering him.
In his lawsuit, Manasse argues that his erstwhile comrades accused him publicly and in writing that he had been the source of a story that named the first vice-president of the Assembly of the Republic, the country’s parliament, Hélder Injojo, as associated to drug trafficking gangs in the Zambézia province.
Manasse claims he was a victim of shenanigans in the Zambézia constituency, which nearly cost him a seat in the Central Committee. However, he was ousted as head of mobilisation and party spokesperson.
Comment
This case establishes an interesting precedent in the approach, perception and performance of the justice system in Mozambique.
What Manasse has done with his lawsuit is to bring two forms of justice on a collision course, namely state justice versus party justice. Frelimo has always insisted on litigating conflicts between members internally, thus creating a parallel justice system.
The party would rather members eschew using the common justice system for average citizens, which is susceptible to manipulation to benefit the haves and pass harsh sentences on the have-nots.
If the justice system is to dispel the image of a system co-opted not only by political but also financial power, it has a superb opportunity to free itself from Frelimo’s vice-like grip – the party via the President appoints judges and prosecutors, among others, which end up being subservient to the party and the President.
The party should also take this opportunity to “purify its ranks” in broad sense, whether it be to return to its ideals or to regain popular sympathy, but certainly to free itself from the Machiavellianism of groups that have taken it by storm and currently dominate it.
Consequently, the case is likely to test the justice system. Since it is said that Injojo is President Filipe Nyusi’s ally, will it be unencumbered by this proximity and focus on the facts in order to deliver justice?
Regardless of the verdict, there will be both in Frelimo and courts a before and after moment, because Frelimo members would have been exposed to the justice for commoners.
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