Daviz Simango, once considered a rising star in the opposition Renamo,
broke away from the former rebel group last year. He was to open a
convention Friday in the second city of Beira to kick off the new
Democratic Movement of Mozambique, or MDM.
Simango’s surprise victory in Beira’s mayoral race last November has
made him a top prospect to challenge President Armando Guebuza, who is
running for re-election with the ruling Frelimo party in elections due
by year-end.
"Mozambique has had a government led by one party since independence,
and another movement, Renamo, that seems to be deteriorating lately,"
said Geraldo Carvalho, spokesperson for the new party.
"That’s why the people of Mozambique want to advance a movement led or
inspired by Daviz Simango, based on his transparent governance of the
city of Beira."
While Mozambique has more than 40 registered political parties, Frelimo
and Renamo have dominated the field. The parties are historic rivals –
first as enemies in a 16-year civil war, then as political opponents
following the 1994 peace agreement.
But Renamo and its leader Afonso Dhlakama have been steadily losing popularity.
Guebuza won the 2004 election with 64 percent of the vote. That year
Renamo’s coalition took only 90 of the 250 seats in parliament, and
last year failed to win any mayoral races.
Simango parted ways with Renamo last September after the party’s
leadership chose not to nominate him for re-election as Beira’s mayor.
He ran as an independent and won with 62 percent of the vote, defeating
his old party in a city traditionally considered a stronghold.
Analysts have expressed concern that Renamo’s declining popularity and
the continued strength of Frelimo were turning the country into a
one-party state.
"There are sectors of society that fear that Mozambican democracy is
suffering a reverse," the Mozambican Human Rights League said in
statement.
"Parties are like water – the more space they have, the more they
take," said Miguel de Brito, country director for the Electoral
Institute of Southern Africa (EISA).
"It’s not good when one party dominates 75 percent of the political
sphere. There’s a tendency toward hegemony, which blocks different ways
of thinking, different opinions."
MDM spokesperson Carvalho said the new party has the potential to revitalise multi-party democracy in Mozambique.
"We are convinced we can go head to head with any party or movement in
this country, and if possible dramatically change the political scene,
which does not reflect the will of the people," Carvalho said.
But De Brito said the new party would first have to prove itself at the polls.
"If Daviz Simango’s party really has significant electoral success, I
believe there will be a new dynamic in Mozambican politics, and I
believe from that perspective Mozambique’s democracy will improve," he
said.
"If it doesn’t win significant representation in parliament, and if
Renamo has results similar to the last municipal elections, I think
there’s a danger of having one party take over too much political
space." –
IOL/Sapa/AFP
Post published in: News