13 January 2009
Maputo — Mozambique's ruling Frelimo Party announced on Tuesday that it is already preparing for victory in the presidential, parliamentary and provincial elections scheduled for this year.
Speaking at a Maputo press conference, the Frelimo Central Committee Secretary for Mobilisation and Propaganda, Edson Macuacua, said that winning the election would be a crucial step for Frelimo to continue its mission of serving the Mozambican people and guiding the struggle against poverty.
As part of these preparations, Frelimo brigades leave Maputo on Wednesday for all the provinces, in order to thank citizens for the massive vote of confidence given to Frelimo in the municipal elections of 19 November.
Frelimo candidates were elected mayor in 41 of the 43 municipalities. Frelimo only lost in Beira (to the incumbent mayor, Daviz Simango, running as an independent). In the 43rd municipality, the northern port of Nacala, no candidate won over 50 per cent of the vote, and so a second round must be held.
"The brigades sent to the provinces will thank the municipal citizens for the confidence shown in Frelimo and its candidates, as well as the level of maturity and political awareness they displayed throughout the electoral process", said Macuacua.
He added that the brigades will also urge citizens to participate actively in municipal governance and in the development of the municipalities
Macuacua said that Frelimo is urging all its members, and the public in general, to join in the commemorations of this year's 40th anniversary of the death of the founder of Frelimo, Eduardo Mondlane, generally regarded as the architect of Mozambican national unity.
"We want the homage to Eduardo Mondlane to be an uplifting moment in strengthening national unity, and the patriotic spirit and self-esteem of Mozambicans", he added.
Asked to comment on the demands by Afonso Dhlakama, leader of the former rebel movement Renamo, that the municipal elections should be declared null and void, Macuacua dismissed them as "devoid of any basis and politically infantile".
On Sunday Dhlakama demanded direct negotiations between himself and President Armando Guebuza in order to divide municipal power between Frelimo and Renamo. "There is no negotiation about elections", retorted Macuacua. "The electoral process is closed when the Constitutional Council proclaims and validates the results (which will probably happen sometime in the next week or so). Elections are won during the voting and not afterwards".
Dhlakama's call to "negotiate" the results, he continued, showed disrespect for the rule of law, and for the decisions taken by the people when they cast their ballots.
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