Maputo, 15 May (AIM) – Mozambique’s main opposition party, Renamo, says it has chosen mayoral candidates for the forthcoming local elections for all the municipalities in the central province of Manica, but has declined to name any of them.
Interviewed by the independent television station STV, the Renamo election agent for Manica, Manuel Macocove, said the candidates are being prepared politically, and “the process is well advanced”.
There are six municipalities in Manica province – Chimoio, Manica town, Gondola, Sussundenga, Catandica and Guro.
“Right now, only the final details are missing”, said Macocove. “The names of those who are the heads of our lists will soon be announced, as will the candidates for the municipal assemblies”.
Mayors are no longer elected directly. Instead, the electorate only votes for the municipal assemblies. The mayor is whoever heads the list of Assembly candidates of the party that wins most votes.
Macocove added that Renamo is currently training the members of its provincial and district election offices, as well as its polling station monitors “so that they are able to respond to all the challenges that await us in this process. We have already seen that it will be problematic, because our adversary (the ruling Frelimo Party) is nervous and destabilized, and will do everything to try to reverse the popular will”.
(AIM)
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