Maputo — Across Mozambique, members and supporters of the main opposition party, Renamo, are protesting at the re-election of Ossufo Momade as leader of the party, by demonstrating outside Renamo offices and handing back Renamo flags and T-shirts.
At about 11.00 on Thursday, a group of around 30 young people went to the Renamo head office, chanting "Ossufo Momade, Traitor!', "Ossufo Momade, get out!' and "Lambebota! (Bootlicker)'.
Filmed by the independent television station, STV, they handed back to the Renamo office, T-shirts and other items bearing the Renamo symbols.
They declared that they are supporters of Venancio Mondlane, who was the Renamo candidate for mayor of Maputo in last year's municipal elections. Mondlane declared his intention of standing for the position of Renamo President at the Renamo Congress, held in the central town of Alto Molocue. But the Renamo leadership refused to allow Mondlane to attend the congress, much less stand for party president.
One of the protesters, Juvencio Ernesto, told STV "At the Congress in Alto Molocue, young people were despised. They didn't listen to what young people wanted, and because of personal interests, they chose Ossufo Momade. Momade was never our preferred candidate. They are killing Renamo, because they are bootlickers'.
The protestors believe that Mondlane, who had led street demonstrations against the fraudulent municipal election results, would be the ideal Renamo candidate for the 9 October presidential elections, "because he is concerned about the people'.
With Mondlane excluded from the Congress, they saw no reason to continue supporting Renamo. They no longer saw any significant difference between Renamo and the ruling Frelimo Party. Those who still support Renamo "will continue to suffer, just as they have been suffering ever since the independence of the country', said Ernesto.
"We are here because we don't want to be part of Renamo anymore. We came to return membership cards, the T-shirts, the flags, and everything else we received from this party, because it's no longer of any use to use', said another of the demonstrators, Tucha Bernardo. "We are going wherever our liberator, Venancio Mondlane, goes'.
The Renamo Maputo city delegate downplayed the significant of the demonstration, claiming that the protestors had never been members of Renamo. They did not return membership cards, because they had never held them.
He said the demonstrators only returned 28 T-shirts, two flags, two caps and a dress, distributed to Renamo supporters during the protests against the municipal election results.
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In Marromeu, in Sofala province, the protest against Ossufo Momade was more violent. The demonstrators here invaded the local Renamo office and, in full view of the cameras, tore down Renamo propaganda posters.
They also assaulted the Renamo head of mobilization for Sofala provinces, and ripped up the forms bearing the signatures supporting Momade's bid for the Presidency of the Republic.
Momade needs to present 10,000 valid signatures, each recognized by a notary, to the Constitutional Council, the country's highest body in matters of constitutional and electoral law. Incidents such as the Marromeu protest raise doubts as to whether Momade can reach the target of 10,000 signatures, particularly as Mondlane is also collecting signatures for his bid to run as an independent.
