Mozambican political parties and citizens movements in 65 municipalities on Tuesday started campaigning ahead of the 11 October municipal elections.
Despite calls for peace from the electoral bodies, party leadership and civil society, the first day of elections has been marred with violence, particularly in the northern province of Nampula. Nampula Provincial Hospital authorities told the media that eight people had been treated for wounds sustained during violent confrontations between members of the ruling Frelimo party and the opposition Renamo party, which controls the municipality of Nampula.
Clearly, even though the political adversaries manage to draw out huge crowds, campaigning takes place amid heightened tensions, which has forced the United States embassy in Maputo to issue a communique calling for “peace and calm.”
The strategy of each party seems clear: protect the municipalities currently in their hands, and to win those in the adversary’s hands. This is a strategy which is mostly being used by Frelimo, which seems determined to win in the municipalities of Nampula, Ilha de Moçambique and Nacala, currently being run by Renamo.
The elections in Nampula will be interesting, especially because Frelimo sent its head of elections campaign, Agricultural and Rural Development Minister, Celso Correia, who harbours presidential ambitions – analysts believe that were he to deliver the municipalities in the hands of Renamo, his case could be bolstered.
Another municipality to watch closely is that of Beira, which is in the hands of the opposition Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM). Frelimo has only won once in Beira, in the 1998 municipal election, after a boycott. Since then, the city has been won by Renamo first and then MDM. It is little wonder that Frelimo dispatched Margarida Talapa to head the central brigade to Sofala.
However, Frelimo did not stop there: the party’s Secretary-General, Roque Silva, travelled to Beira to ensure that the message was clear that his party was in it to win.
But Frelimo may be forced to defend its jewel in the crown, the Maputo municipality. Renamo has fielded a strong challenger in Venâncio Mondlane, a charismatic populist, whose case is helped by Frelimo’s decision to elect Rasaque Manhique as its candidate for the mayoral job; little is known about his ideas for Maputo.
Meanwhile, all parties are yet to distribute their manifestos, choosing to use talking points. Perhaps the opposition might have had an initial advantage as they took part in televised debates, with Frelimo sitting it out.
Mozambicans were hoping the 6th municipal elections would be more democratic, but that might be wishful thinking, what with violence rearing its ugly head!
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