Maputo, 8 Jul (AIM) – Mozambican presidential candidate, Venancio Mondlane, who is now backed by the Democratic Alliance Coalition (CAD), a grouping of small extra-parliamentary parties, has promised to work harder so that the country’s wealth may benefit all Mozambicans.
Mondlane used to be a prominent figure in the main opposition party, Renamo, but failed in his attempt to replace Ossufo Momade as Renamo president, when the Renamo leadership refused to allow him to attend the party’s congress, in mid-May. He then resigned from Renamo, and his supporters were able to collect enough signatures to allow him to run as an independent candidate.
According to Mondlane, who was speaking, on Sunday, during his visit to the administrative post of Murrébué, Mecufi district, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, as part of his pre-campaign for the general elections scheduled for 9 October, his project for governance is aimed at using the country’s wealth to improve the well-being of the people, and strengthening the health and education services.
“We want Cabo Delgado’s wealth to serve the province itself first and foremost, not Maputo. Your wealth shouldn’t just be the province’s reputation. That wealth should be reflected in your home, when you wake up in the morning, as well as in your pocket”, he said.
Mondlane believes that Cabo Delgado, which is being plagued by Islamist terrorists, has enough wealth that can benefit its citizens, especially taking into account the mega-projects for exploitation of the province’s huge natural gas reserves.
“Since Cabo Delgado is rich, people from Cabo Delgado must gain something. We can’t admit that Mozambican people may be humiliated by a bunch of politicians. We came here to say that the gas, the rubies and other resources must benefit the people”, he said.
He also accused the ruling Frelimo party of implementing policies that benefit itself rather than the population, ever since the country became independent from the Portuguese colonial system, in 1975.
“We want to work in order to improve the lives of people, creating jobs for young people”, declared Mondlane. “We must not allow a few people from a political organization to control us and take advantage of all the wealth that the country possesses”.
Regarding the alleged attempt by the National Elections Commission (CNE) to reject the CAD’s lists of candidates for the parliamentary and provincial elections, Mondlane said “young people will not accept the rejection of our candidates for political reasons. We also want to advise those involved in such projects that it would not be a good idea.”
The CNE has approved provisional lists of candidates from all the parties contesting the elections, except the CAD. No explanation has been given for the delay in approving the CAD lists.
The CNE has until Wednesday to approve or reject the lists.
The Constitutional Council has approved Mondlane as a presidential candidate, but he is also standing as the most senior CAD parliamentary candidate. But he cannot enter the Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, if the CNE rejects the CAD list of candidates.
(AIM)
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