The Royal Institute of International Affairs, also known as Chatham House, has retracted its Monday invitation to Mozambique’s ruling Frelimo party presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, to speak at the forum between 4 and 6 December.
Through its Africa Programme director, Alex Vines, Chatham House had invited Chapo and had congratulated him on his “presidential victory in the October elections and am looking forward to the validation of the results by the Constitutional Council”.
Chapo was declared the winner by over 70 percent in the 9 October presidential elections, which observers claim were fraudulent.
After the uproar the invitation caused, Chatham House said in statement on Tuesday that any invitation to Chapo “is contingent upon final validation of the election results by Mozambique’s Constitutional Council”.
Comment
Chatham House prides itself for being “an independent, non-partisan organisation”. However, in this case, Chatham House presented itself as anything but non-partisan. As it recognizes in Tuesday’s statement, “… there have been allegations of widespread electoral fraud and appeals lodged with the Constitutional Council regarding the results”. As such, why then invite Chapo before the Constitutional Court, which doubles up as an electoral court and final arbiter during elections.
Unfortunately, Chatham House was likely manipulated. Frelimo probably leaked the invitation letter to boost its international legitimacy at a time when its grip on power is under challenge. Since the killing of two opposition figures on October 19, protests have erupted, leading to over 50 deaths, nearly 100 injuries, and significant damage to public and private property
A source told Mozambique Insights that for an organisation that claims to be an esteemed platform that fosters debates around world developments and is considered an informal wing of British diplomacy, it has not acquitted itself well. It behaved like a Rolls-Royce fitted with a truck engine under its bonnet: loud and cumbersome.
Furthermore, it does not befit an institution such as Chatham House to send an invitation contingent on the outcome of an event. Who would accept such an invitation?
What is baffling is that Vines was a member of the Commonwealth observer mission, which has yet to publish a final report, which is contingent on the full assessment of the entire process. Observers point out that the invitation was a tactless move, likely to dent both his reputation and that of Chatham House.
But Chatham House was serving what it considers a higher interest. Underneath the veneer of fostering debates around world developments, the institution has been doubling up as a broker for British businesses with an interest in Mozambique’s burgeoning energy market. It is likely that behind closed doors, Chapo would be introduced to eight British business leaders whose access to him might result in investment entreties.
Indeed, about three years ago Chatham House organised a roundtable in which business people with an interest in the energy sector peppered a handful of Mozambican academics and intelectuals with questions on Mozambique’s political and business enviroment. One source told Mozambique Insights that the concern of the business leaders was the issue of succession, going as far as suggesting that they preferred that power continued in the hands of the incumbent, President Filipe Nyusi, meaning that they cared not about democracy and the democratisation of Mozambique.
At least Chapo will avoid the indignity of being met and booed by crowds of Mozambican protesters in England and Europe, frustrated by the country’s electoral institutions.
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