from ARMANDO DOMINGOS in Maputo, Mozambique
Mozambique Bureau
MAPUTO, (CAJ News) – CRACKS are emerging in Mozambique between the aggrieved opposition candidate, Venâncio Mondlane, and the party that backed his presidency and is now the official opposition.
Protests are to escalate this week, especially on Monday and Friday.
Late Sunday, angry opposition supporters were already on the streets and roads barricaded in the troubled southern African country.
Roads already have been barricaded.
While there has been a post-poll conflict between Mondlane and the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) of president-elect, Daniel Chapo, it appears a crisis is on between Mondlane and the Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique (PODEMOS), which backed him in his presidential bid.
On Monday (today), 250 members of parliament (MPs), including 43 from PODEMOS are to take office.
Apparently, Mondlane had advocated for the PODEMOS party MPs to boycott the swearing-in, saying this would be an endorsement of the electoral fraud that he alleges around the October polls.
Chapo is to be sworn-in on Wednesday as he hits out at PODEMOS’ stance and the electoral process, again.
“January 13 is a protest against the traitors. January 15 is a protest against the thieves,” Mondlane hit out.
He returned to Mozambique last Thursday after self-imposed exile. He was immediately stripped of his diplomatic passport, a move that further angered his supporters.
At least three were killed as police quashed protests around his return.
With Mondlane and PODEMOS falling out, Mozambique’s political crisis is taking a new dimension.
The Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO), the main opposition until the last election, and the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM) have declared they would not participate in the swearing-in ceremony on Monday.
Hundreds have been killed during clashes between civilians and security forces since October when it emerged FRELIMO would extend its 50-year stranglehold on power.
This past weekend parliament in the ex-coloniser Portugal approved a resolution from the opposition Liberal Initiative asking its government not to recognise the results of Mozambique’s general elections and another from fellow opposition Chega that calls for a recount of the votes.
– CAJ News