Maputo — Two more minor parties on Thursday, at a joint press conference in Maputo, announced their "unconditional" support for the re-election of President Armando Guebuza for a second term of office.

The two tiny organisations are the Democratic Alliance of Veterans for Development (ADACD) and the Mozambican National Party (PANAMO).

The ACACD leader, Joao Likalamba, whose group was set up in 2007, declared that the two organisations are supporting Guebuza "because he has a credible programme and a vision for developing the country".

Likalamba said that, during the past five years of Guebuza's government, the ruling Frelimo Party has shown its capacity for leading the country successfully. But ACACD is not supporting Frelimo in the parliamentary elections, because it has its own candidates running in five provinces (Gaza, Manica, Zambezia, Nampula and Cabo Delgado).

Much more curious is the case of PANAMO, since its leader, Marcos Juma, is a convicted forger. In September 2001, Juma was tried and convicted by the Maputo city court of an attempt to forge US dollar bills. He was given a two year prison sentence, suspended for five years.

Despite this unsavoury past, Juma submitted PANAMO lists for the parliamentary elections - all of which were rejected as invalid by the National Elections Commission (CNE)

Both Likalamba and Juma deny that they have received any financial support from Frelimo. They told reporters that their parties paid jointly for the hire of the hotel room used for the press conference.

Likalamba said ACACD will campaign for Guebuza using its own resources. He appeared at the press conference wearing a Frelimo T-shirt.