Maputo, 9 May (AIM) – The current board of directors of Mozambique’s Confederation of Business Associations (CTA) has grudgingly complied with the court ruling which demands the inclusion of Álvaro Massingue, the chairperson and candidate of the Mozambican Chamber of Commerce (CCM), in the internal elections which were originally scheduled for 8 May.
There has been a tug-of-war between Massingue and the current CTA board. Both parties have been launching accusations against each other.
In its attempt to prevent Massingue running for CTA President, the CTA Board accused him of interfering in the organization of the elections “through a scheme of massive regularization of membership fees with funds of obscure origin, affecting the institutional integrity of the CTA and damaging the principle of fairness and transparency.”
The main accusation against Massingue is that he paid membership fees in arrears for dozens of CTA affiliates. Massingue denies the accusation – but adds that, even if it were true, there is nothing illegal about paying somebody else’s membership fees.
However, the Fifth Section of the Kampfumo Municipal District court issued an injunction suspending the decisions taken by the leadership of the CTA, which aimed at barring Massingue from taking part in the election. Despite the court ruling, Massingue had been prevented from submitting his candidacy allegedly because he was late.
The decision to include Massingue in the elections was taken on Thursday after the CTA board issued a resolution in which it complied with the court orders.
“As a result of the aforementioned court decision, the Governing Board ordered the immediate restoration of the statutory rights of the CCM and its representative, under the terms of article 9 of the CTA Statutes”, reads the statement issued by the CTA Electoral Commission.
In light of the new decision, the CCM is on the list of 174 organizations affiliated to the CTA with its electoral situation regularized.
“It will be able to take part in the ballot on 14 May, in which Lineu Candieiro, from the Association of Young Entrepreneurs of Mozambique, and Maria De Assunção Abdula, from the Commercial Association of Mozambique, are also running for the presidency of the organization”, reads the note.
(AIM)
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