Maputo, 28 Sep (AIM) – Daniel Chapo, the presidential candidate of Mozambique’s ruling Frelimo Party, in the elections scheduled for 9 October, on Saturday promised that, if he wins, he will erect a monument to the 52 young people massacred by islamist terrorists in the northern province of Cabo Delgado in April 2020.
The terrorists killed these victims because they refused to join the ranks of the jihadists. The slaughter took place in the locality of Xitaxi, in Muidumbe district.
Chapo made this promise during a tour of some of the areas of Cabo Delgado worst hit by terrorism. Accompanied by President Filipe Nyusi, Chapo visited Mocimboa da Praia and Muidumbe districts, as well as the Frelimo stronghold of Mueda (which is also Nyusi’s birthplace).
Chapo promised that, if he wins the election, he will speed up the restoration of peace and the elimination of terrorism. He said he would also rebuild the infrastructures destroyed by the islamists, and resume projects that had been interrupted by the conflict.
In Namuno district, he promised to organise the informal miners extracting gold in the district, and to build a district hospital so that seriously ill patients no longer have to be evacuated to the provincial capital, Pemba, for treatment.
Chapo urged members of Frelimo to wage their election campaign peacefully, and to avoid any violence. If faced with provocation from other parties, they should not respond, he said.
In the central province of Manica, Ossufo Momade, the leader and presidential candidate of the main opposition party, Renamo, promised to revive industries that were once major employers, but have now closed down.
Speaking in the district of Gondola, Momade said re-opening these factories would minimize the high levels of youth unemployment.
“Together with you”, he told his audience, “we shall change Mozambique, because the suffering affects all of us”.
(AIM)
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