Massinga — Mozambican President Armando Guebuza on Tuesday urged the people of Massinga district, in the southern province of Inhambane, to reject poverty, just as they would reject any attempt to return to war.

Addressing a rally in the locality of Malamba, Guebuza stressed that when Mozambicans participate in the building of new schools, health posts or roads, they are also contributing to the fight against poverty.

He regretted that there are still people who, "instead of fighting against poverty spend their time lamenting, or blaming other people for the fact that they aren't doing anything".

Guebuza stressed that good luck will not drop out of the sky - people have to go and look for it. If all Mozambicans worked in that spirit, he said, the fight against poverty could be won easily.

Pleased with the warm welcome he received in Massinga, Guebuza told his audience to express the same enthusiasm on polling day, 28 October.

People attending the rally told AIM they thought opposition politicians could learn something from Guebuza's style. For Guebuza has never spent time at his rallies attacking his opponents in the opposition parties - instead he has concentrated on the achievements of his government over the past five years, and what he plans to do in the future.

And his message has not been "Vote for me and I will solve your problems", but rather "Vote for me and I will help you solve your problems". Guebuza has always stressed that development will come from the hard work of Mozambicans, while the government and the president provide leadership.

Alberto Mazive, a community leader in Tome locality, told Guebuza's rally "We don't want Armando Guebuza's term of office to end. God has given us a great gift. Those of us of advanced age have never before seen a government that distributed money to its people".

He was referring to the Local Initiative Investment Budget (OIIL), which began in 2006 with the distribution of seven million meticais (about 255,000 US dollars) a year from the central budget to each of the 128 districts for projects to boost food security and create jobs.

Thanks to this money, Mazive said, "we are breeding cattle, and agriculture has been relaunched. So because of these and other achievements we want to tell you that the people of Massinga will vote for you and for Frelimo".