Mozambique: SADC Refused to Back Frelimo

SADC refused to back Frelimo

Despite a statement by President Filipe Nyusi, SADC yesterday refused to back Frelimo and Daniel Chapo. This was obvious when the communiqué said: “The Summit commended the Republics of Mozambique, Botswana and Mauritius for successfully holding peaceful elections and congratulated the newly elected leaders, namely President Duma Gideon Boko, of the Republic of Botswana, and Honourable Dr. Navin Ramgoolam, the Prime Minister of Mauritius.” No mention of Chapo. https://drive.google.com/file/d/19De5r88zUUfiBlDNQU_JKKXOBY7Lnylk/view

Later the communiqué said it “received an update from His Excellency Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of the Republic of Mozambique, on the post-election political and security situation in the country and reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to work with the Republic of Mozambique in ensuring peace, security and stability through the relevant structures of the SADC.” Again, no support for Mozambique on the “post-election political” situation.

The SADC summit was held yesterday, 20 November, in Harare. It was attended by only five presidents (Zimbabwe, Botswana, DRC, Madagascar, and Mozambique) and just lower level officials from South Africa and other SADC members.

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How the police intend to eliminate the leaders of the demonstrations

The general command of the police is using Frelimo neighbourhood structures to identify the main protagonists of the demonstrations in their neighbourhoods. This has continued since the demonstrations began, and uses Frelimo neighbourhood secretaries, heads of 10 houses, community leaders, and other influential Frelimo figures. CIP Eleições understands that the process is being led by the head of the Frelimo Party Brigade in Maputo City. The supposed protagonists or leaders of the demonstrations will subsequently be the target of kidnappings and assassinations.

In the Maxaquene neighbourhood in Maputo City, Frelimo party facilities were vandalised, namely the Maxaquene B (better known as the Graça Circle) and Maxaquene C Circle committees, located next to the Home for the Destitute. In the days that followed, the OMM headquarters was vandalised near the Carimbo market, very close to the Graça circle headquarters in the same neighbourhood.

This seems quite organised. According to our findings, the youths who set fire to the Frelimo party headquarters in Maxaquene B were from the Hulene neighbourhood and had rented a house near the neighbourhood committee headquarters. They left the rented houses after the act was completed.

A student from Eduardo Mondlane University was kidnapped last week and held captive by SERNIC for 24 hours. The student only escaped death because one of the kidnapping policemen was from Nampula, the province where the student is from. He was kidnapped on Avenida Vladimir Lenine, which separates the neighbourhoods of Polana Caniço and Maxaquene, at around 8pm, when he was going to a shop.

According to the student, the kidnappers were driving a black car when they questioned him. They neutralised him and put him in the car. They blindfolded and gagged him and when he was taken to a residence he was kept blindfolded.

The kidnappers had all the information about the student. They knew he was one of the protesters at the university residence. He was interrogated and tortured. The kidnappers told the student that they had been ordered to kidnap and murder him.

There are many identified young people, including members of civil society who have shown support for the demonstrations, who could be kidnapped and murdered in the same way.

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Police shooting at demonstrators kill a school pupil

A student was killed by police this morning (Thursday 21 November) in Moma, Nampula. The pupil was shot on a bridge at around 10am on his way home from school when the police fired on a group of demonstrators. Five people were injured.

Police killed at least two people last weekend in Mulevala district of Zambézia. There were thefts of precious stones at Marropia mines, Mulevale. The police were called in and shot several people. Some say there were six dead, but a police source confirms only two: a pregnant woman and an 18-year-old.

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Chatham House tempers the praise and reminds Chapo the invitation is conditional

An outcry on Chatham House’s congratulation of Daniel Chapo “on your presidential victory” brought a quick about-face Tuesday (19 November). In a post on Facebook, it said “We recognise that there have been allegations of widespread electoral fraud and appeals lodged with the Constitutional Council regarding the results. Any Chatham House event with Mr Chapo is contingent upon final validation of the elections results by Mozambique’s Constitutional Council.”

The response is on https://www.facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=961595342671490&id=100064630996196&_rdr and the original letter is on https://bit.ly/Moz-CH-Chapo

The original 13 November letter from Chatham House Research Director Alex Vines opens: “Dear Mr Chapo, I wish to congratulate you on your presidential victory in the October elections and am looking forward to the validation of the results by the Constitutional Council at the end of this month. I am once again writing to extend a warm invitation to you to speak at Chatham House.”

The Facebook statement does not withdraw the invitation but does stress that it is conditional on the Constitutional Council approving the Chapo victory. However the tone of the statement reflects that there are significant differences within the British foreign policy community, both in London and between London and Maputo. And it is an unusual public rebuke to their research director for writing a letter that fuels those divisions.

“Chatham House” is the 100-year-old Royal Institute of International Affairs and is “independent” but close to the British foreign office and diplomatic community.

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Thirty parties unite to demand forensic audit, promise demonstrations

A coalition of 30 opposition parties led by Podemos on 16 November launched the Broad Opposition Front (FAO) to fight for the restoration of electoral truth. Renamo is not part of the group.

The 30 parties are demanding a forensic audit of the electoral process and the subsequent criminal prosecution of the heads of the electoral administration bodies for their involvement or complicity in the fraud in the elections on 9 October

The Broad Opposition Front guarantees that until the Constitutional Council restores electoral justice and truth, it will continue to ‘promote peaceful demonstrations’

The Constitutional Council has still not ruled on the election, and has no deadline by which to do so.

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Podemos calls for elections in Zimbabwe to be cancelled

On 19 November, the Podemos party submitted an appeal to the Constitutional Council asking for the elections held in the Zimbabwean constituency to be declared null and void, on the grounds that there were 296,000 voters who did not have the right to vote, because they were Zimbabweans.

The appeal names, for example, five Zimbabwean citizens who voted on 9 October. CIP Eleições had already denounced this phenomenon during voter registration (read more in Boletim 257).

The Podemos appeal is based on a report by the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Southern Africa..

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