Maputo, 04 Oct (AIM) – Mozambique’s National Elections Commission (CNE) has condemned the behavior shown by senior members of the ruling Frelimo party, who on Tuesday publicly destroyed propaganda material of the two main opposition parties, Renamo and the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM).
Videos of the destruction showed Frelimo members gleefully trampling on MDM and Renamo T-shirts in the municipality of Homoine, in the southern province of Inhambane, and boasting about their vandalism.
The gang was led by a Frelimo parliamentary deputy, Dias Juliao Letela, who is a member of the parliamentary commission on Constitutional Affairs, Human Rights and Legality. Letela said the destruction of opposition T-shirts was part of what he called “Operacao Desmontar” (“Operation Dismantle”), and vowed that it would continue until the day of the municipal elections, 11 October.
Either Letela does not read the laws that he helps pass, or he assumes that they will not be used against him. For the Mozambican Electoral Law states, “anyone who steals, destroys, tears or in any way renders useless, in whole or in part, or renders illegible electoral propaganda material or disfigures it, or places over it any material for the purpose of concealing it, shall be punished with imprisonment for up to six months and a fine of between six and twelve times the national minimum wage.”
At a Tuesday press conference in Maputo, the CNE spokesperson, Paulo Cuinica, stressed that the destruction of propaganda material is a crime punishable by law. He did not mention Frelimo by name, but preferred to claim that such vandalism is happening all over the country, committed by supporters of almost all the political parties.
Cuinica warned that vandalism could inflame the spirits of supporters of the competing parties, putting a peaceful election campaign in danger. He said the election campaign should be a moment of respect for freedom of expression and of opinion, as enshrined in the Mozambican Constitution. “This diversity of opinion”, he said, “is expressed in the visual and audio propaganda materials, which allow the candidates to transmit their messages”.
When the independent television station STV asked Letela for comment, he simply referred it to the Frelimo leadership. The Frelimo national spokesperson, Ludmila Maguni, condemned the vandalism, and said she hoped it would not be repeated.
Cuinica is right that the sabotage of propaganda material happens all over the country. But normally this takes the form of tearing down posters, or covering them up, usually under cover of night. Frelimo is the only party that has openly boasted of destroying its opponents’ materials, and has been filmed doing so in broad daylight.
The film of the destructive behavior of Letela and his colleagues could be used as evidence in a court of law. But that depends on the Public Prosecutor’s Office, or the CNE, bringing a case against Letela, and it remains to be seen whether they have the courage to do so.
An added complication is that, as a member of parliament, Letela enjoys immunity from criminal prosecution. Dragging him before a court would require parliament to lift his immunity.
Renamo and the MDM want to go further, and have called for Letela to be expelled from parliament.
(AIM)
Ad/pf (538)
