The two ministers were replying to questions from reporters after leaving a meeting of the Council of Ministers (Cabinet).
The questions were in response to a bellicose statement made in the northern city of Nampula last Friday by the General Secretary of Mozambique’s main opposition party, Renamo. Referring to preparations for the municipal elections scheduled for 20 November this year, Manuel Bissopo threatened that Renamo will make sure that “there will be no elections or voter registration in Mozambique”.
On Friday, Bissopo met with Renamo members from all 21 districts in Nampula province. He told reporters that the purpose of the meeting was to prepare Renamo’s plans to obstruct the elections. He warned that any attempt by the government to resist Renamo “will be driven back by the people”.
Bissopo claimed that violence would not come from Renamo, but from “the people”. Renamo, he said, “will protect the demonstration of the people who are tired of their votes being stolen. If, eventually, the Mozambican people decide to take up knives, machetes, axes and other sharp instruments to oppose any aggressive attempt at neutralisation or intimidation by Frelimo, Renamo will not hesitate to support this legitimate reaction”.
Bissopo stated that Renamo has three bases in the central province of Sofala, at Santunjira in the Gorongosa Mountains, at Mucodzi and at Muxungue.
However, Deputy Interior Minister Jose Mandra told reporters that no political party has the power or right to trample over the Constitution. He said, “I do not know with what legal force a party can come and say that it is going to derail elections when the Constitution says that elections have to be held periodically”.
Mandra stressed that the Mozambican Police (PRM) is the institution mandated to guarantee public order and tranquillity and that it is ready to ensure that the country functions normally.
Questioned about the movement of armed men, particularly in the centre of the country, and whether this requires an exceptional response, the Deputy Minister replied that the PRM is currently working normally but if necessary it can mobilise forces to maintain law and order.
He explained that there are various degrees of combat readiness but that the situation at the moment is under control.
Minister of Defence Filipe Nyussi argued strongly that there should be no distraction from efforts to support development in Mozambique.
He stressed that “what is clear is that the law is the law. Nobody can sabotage the law. To prevent people taking part in elections is against the law and no Mozambican would like to live in a country where the law is disobeyed”.
Post published in: Africa News