Maputo, 26 Sep (AIM) – In the fourth week of the Mozambican general election campaign, observers continued to note the illicit use of public assets for campaigning purposes.
The civil society election observation coalition, “Mais Integridade” (“More Integrity”), in a release issued on Wednesday, noted that, in 27 per cent of its activities observed, the ruling Frelimo Party made undue use of state-owned vehicles and other public assets – which was a slight increase (by two per cent) on the abuse of public goods noted in the third week of the campaign.
Frelimo continued to use teachers in its campaign, as well as vehicles allocated to the Education Ministry. This meant that classes were paralysed in schools in several districts.
The main opposition parties, Renamo and the MDM (Mozambique Democratic Movement), were found using public assets in less than one per cent of the activities observed.
The election legislation categorically bans political parties from using state assets in their campaigns, but this ban has been widely flouted, particularly by Frelimo.
“Mais Integridade” reported that, in general, the campaign remained calm. There were, however, a few violent incidents, but these happened in less than one per cent of the activities observed.
In Gondola district, in the central province of Manica, a group of Renamo supporters destroyed a Frelimo flag, and prevented Frelimo from carrying out its planned campaign activities.
Frelimo behaved in much the same way in Morrumbala district, in Zambezia province, where it blocked an MDM parade, forcing the MDM to change the site for its rally.
The illicit collection of voter cards by members of Frelimo and by local chiefs and community leaders was noted in several districts. “Mais Integridade” noted that in Milange district, in Zambezia, “Frelimo members obliged state employees to contribute money to promote their campaign”, while in Mecanhelas, Niassa province, local people complained that Renamo was selling its T-shirts and other campaign material, instead of giving them away.
An ugly twist to this story was the claim that Renamo members were demanding sexual favours from Mecanhelas women in exchange for propaganda material.
“Mais Integridade” reported that its observers could work unhindered in most districts, with a few exceptions. In Gurue district, Zambezia, Frelimo rejected the presence of an observer accusing him of belonging to an opposition party, while in Lago, Niassa, a Frelimo supporter threatened an observer because he had taken a photo of the campaign.
“Mais Integridade” found that, of the 2,528 campaign events observed, 55 per cent were led by men and 17 per cent by women.
As in the previous weeks, “Mais Integridade” found that Frelimo dominated media coverage of the campaign. In the broadcast media, 29 per cent of the items analysed were from Frelimo, followed by Renamo 17 per cent), the MDM (16 per cent) and Podemos (seven per cent).
There was a much greater imbalance in the written media. In the daily press, 41 per cent of the items analysed concerned Frelimo, followed by Renamo (23 per cent), the MDM (19 per cent) and Podemos (11 per cent).
The trend was the same in the weekly press. 43 per cent of the items analysed concerned Frelimo, followed by Renamo (17 per cent), the MDM (16 per cent) and Podemos (seven per cent).
This imbalance is not due solely to political bias, but also to the fact that Frelimo is more active than any other party. Of the events observed by “Mais Integridade”, 46 per cent were organized by Frelimo, 27 per cent by Renamo, 15 per cent by the MDM and 13 per cent by Podemos.
(AIM)
Pf/ (606)
