Maputo — Eight of the ten minor Mozambican political parties that are allied to the former rebel movement Renamo in the country's parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, have confirmed that they will run without Renamo in this year's municipal elections.
Whereas the parliamentary opposition coalition calls itself the Renamo-Electoral Union, the new coalition being formed for the local elections will simply be called the Electoral Union. The break with Renamo was provoked by statements last year by Renamo leaders that the party intended to stand alone in the municipal elections. This position was watered down in January by the Renamo president, Afonso Dhlakama, who said that the coalition with the minor parties would be maintained - but only in those large municipalities where Renamo might have difficulty winning on its own.
This does not seem to have satisfied Renamo's allies. Cited in Wednesday's issue of the independent newsheet "Mediafax", Jose Palaco, president of the Patriotic Action Front (FAP), and coordinator of the Electoral Union, said that Dhlakama had put nothing in writing. Rather late in the day, the minor parties have discovered gaps in their parliamentary agreement with Renamo. Thus Renamo appointed all eight members of the National Elections Commission (CNE), to which the coalition was entitled, without bothering to consult any of the minor parties first. "The same happened with the members of the Assembly's Standing Commission", said Palaco. The appointments to the Standing Commission took place in 2000 - so the minor parties have waited three years before complaining.
"Probably, if we had won the 1999 elections, Renamo wouldn't have given any positions in the new government to our parties", said Palaco.
The Electoral Union will formalise its existence some time later this month. It says it has already drawn up its statutes, code of ethics and coalition agreement.
The coalition intends to run lists of candidates for all 33 municipal assemblies, headed by whichever party is believed to have the greatest support in that particular town or city. As for the position of mayor, the coalition will support the candidate, put forward by any of the parties, who stands most chance of winning.
Two members of the Renamo-Electoral Union have declined to join the new coalition, namely the Mozambique United Front (FUMO) and the Mozambican People's Progress Party (PPPM).
That leaves as founder members of the Electoral Union, FAP, the National Convention Party (PCN), the Mozambican Nationalist Movement (MONAMO), the National Unity Party (PUN), the United Democratic Front (UDF), the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), the Independent Alliance of Mozambique (ALIMO), and the Mozambique National Union (UNAMO). They have subsequently been joined by two tiny extra-parliamentary groups, the Mozambican National Reconciliation Party (PAMOMO), and the Ecological Party of Mozambique (PEMO).
The only reason any of these parties are represented in parliament is because they joined forces with Renamo in 1999.
Outside of parliament they are entirely invisible. Competing against both Renamo and the ruling Frelimo Party in the local elections, their chances must be rated as very slim.
