Cerimonia de assinatura do compromisso politico para um dialogo nacional inclusivo. Foto de Ferhat Momade
Maputo, 8 May (AIM) – Mozambican President Daniel Chapo on Wednesday appointed 18 members of the Technical Commission set up to implement the “Political Commitment to an Inclusive National Dialogue”.
This is a document signed between Chapo and representatives of ten political parties on 5 March. The Commission is supposed to work on such matters as amendments to the Mozambican constitution, rewriting the electoral legislation, and decentralisation,
The parties which signed the agreement included all those represented in the country’s parliament, the Assembly of the Republic – namely, the ruling Frelimo Party, the Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos – which is now the official opposition), the former rebel movement Renamo, and the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM).
Thanks to its representation in the Gurue Municipal Assembly, in the central province of Zambezia province, Nova Democracia (ND – New Democracy) was also present.
The other four parties are tiny organisations which managed to win seats last October in Provincial Assemblies (PAs). These are Democratic Revolution (RD), a breakaway from Renamo, which holds six seats in the PA of Niassa; the Humanitarian Party of Mozambique (PAHUMO), with eight seats in the PA of Cabo Delgado; the Social Renovation Party (PARESO), with two seats in the PA of Inhambane; and the National Reconciliation Party (PARENA), which holds five seats in the PA of Gaza.
These results are puzzling. Nobody has yet explained how the virtually unknown PAHUMO could pick up eight seats in Cabo Delgado, but none at all in the neighbouring provinces. Or how PARENA could make a breakthrough in the Frelimo stronghold of Gaza, but nowhere else.
Chapo appointed Edson Macucua, the Secretary of State for Science and Higher Education as chairperson of the commission. Macuacua has been a prominent Frelimo figure for the past two decades. He was once an adviser to President Amando Guebuza, and more recently, under President Filipe Nyusi, a Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education.
The deputy chair of the Commission is Alberto Ferreira of Podemos. Prominent parliamentarians from Renamo such as a former head of the Renamo parliamentary group, Ivone Soares, and from the MDM such as MDM election agent Laurinda Cheia, sit on the commission. Of the members from the minor parties, the only one with name recognition is Cornelio Quivela from Pahuma, who was once a Renamo parliamentary deputy.
The full list of members of the commission is as follows:
1. Edson Macuacua (Frelimo): chairperson;
2. Alberto Ferreira (Podemos): deputy chairperson;
3. Saimone Macuiana (Renamo): rapporteur;
4. Laurinda Cheia (MDM): deputy rapporteur;
5. Johane Zonjo (Frelimo);
6. Fatima Jovo (Podemos);
7. Ivone Soares (Renamo);
8. Casimiro Pedro (MDM);
9. Nunes Nenele (Democratic Revolution – RD);
10. Sandra Manjate (RD);
11. Vania Nhantumbo (Humanitarian Party of Mozambique – Pahumo);
12. Cornelio Quivela (Pahumo);
13. Alberto Macie (Social Renewal Party – Pareso);
14. Elias Matsimbe (Pareso);
15. Ernesto Cossa (National Reconciliation Party – Parena);
16. Kelvin Quenesse (Parena)
17. Albino Manguene (New Democracy – ND);
18. Berta Muiambo (ND).
Parties that most Mozambicans have never heard of, such as Parena and Pareso, have two members each on the Commission, but there is no representation at all for the man who came second in the presidential election, Venancio Mondlane (and who claims that, in reality, he won).
Mondlane has now set up his own political party, Anamalala (National Alliance for a Free and Autonomous Mozambique), and attracts crowds of many thousands wherever he goes. Yet none of his followers are on the Commission.
Yet to be appointed to the Commission are three members from Civil Society Organisations.
(AIM)
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