Distribution of election campaign funds begins

Maputo, 16 Aug (AIM) – Mozambique’s National Elections Commission (CNE) has begun to distribute the promised campaign funds to the political parties and candidates competing in the presidential, parliamentary and provincial elections scheduled for 9 October.

The official election campaign period begins on 24 August, and, under the election law, the government subsidies for the parties should have been deposited in their accounts 21 days in advance.

At a Maputo press conference on Friday morning, the CNE spokesperson, Paulo Cuinica, apologized for the delays in distributing the money, but he insisted that it was not the CNE’s fault.

The CNE, he pointed out, is entirely dependent on the government (the Ministry of Economy and Finance) for its funding.

The total money available for the campaign is 260 million meticais (about four million US dollars, at the current exchange rate). The money will be distributed in three installments. To receive the later instalments, the parties must justify their use of the first 50 per cent.

Each of the four presidential candidates will receive 21.7 million meticais. The money for the parliamentary and provincial elections will be distributed according to the number of constituencies and seats that each party is contesting.

The only parties contesting all three elections are the ruling Frelimo Party and the two opposition parties represented in parliament, Renamo and the MDM (Mozambique Democratic Movement). They will each receive 40.25 million meticais.

The money may only be used for approved campaign expenditure – such as propaganda materials, articles published in the media, and travel costs. It may not be used for capital expenditure, such as buying buildings or vehicles.

(AIM)

Pf/ (284)