Maputo, 20 Nov (AIM) – The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), a prominent Mozambican NGO, claims that criminal proceedings against some politicians and their political parties may undermine confidence in dialogue to overcome the current post-election crisis.
Since 21 October, the country has been facing a wave of demonstrations called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane to protest against the allegedly fraudulent result of the general elections held on 9 October, and the murder of his lawyer, Elvino Dias, and Paulo Guambe, an election agent for Podemos (Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique).
The CDD statement comes in response to the invitation that Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi addressed on Tuesday to all four presidential candidates who stood in the elections, namely: Daniel Chapo, of the ruling Frelimo Party, Venancio Mondlane, who was backed by Podemos, Ossufo Momade, leader of what used to be the main opposition party, Renamo, and Lutero Simango, of the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM).
However, the invitation came after the Attorney-General’s Office (PGR) had filed a civil lawsuit against Venâncio Mondlane, and Podemos, represented by its president, Albino Forquilha.
“The lawsuit is demanding compensation of 32.3 billion meticais (about 505 million dollars at the current exchange rate) as a result of the damage caused to the State by demonstrations”, reads the PGR statement.
According to CDD, “there is a consensus on the need for dialogue to end the post-election crisis, but this dialogue must take place within a framework of honesty, transparency and with the interests of the country and the people above all other interests.”
The organization believes that “using dialogue for group agendas or as a platform to get to one actor or another in order to arrest them can lead to escalating tension.”
“Showing readiness for dialogue with certain interlocutors while using state institutions against them undermines trust, compromises dialogue and can prolong conflict. Since President Nyusi controls the state and all the institutions, including the PGR and the courts, the announcement of the dialogue a day after the PGR’s statement raises doubts about his real intentions”, reads the statement.
Nyusi, of course, denies that he controls the courts or the PGR. The Mozambican Constitution establishes the separation of powers, so that Nyusi’s government has no powers to tell the courts or prosecutors what to do.
The CDD believes that the proposal for dialogue could be a trap to lure Venâncio Mondlane out and then arrest him.
Mondlane is a fugitive, and his whereabouts are unknown. There is speculation that he could be in Europe or in South Africa. Since there are warrants out for his arrest on charges of incitement to violence and conspiracy against state security, he is likely to be arrested the moment he returns to Mozambique.
Contrary to the CDD’s belief, Nyusi has no power to order the PGR to drop the arrest warrants, although some kind of presidential amnesty could possibly be arranged.
(AIM)
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