Maputo — Mozambique's National Elections Commission (CNE) expects to pay subsidies of about 260 million meticais (equivalent to over four million US dollars) to the political parties participating in the general elections scheduled for 9 October.

Interviewed by Radio Mozambique on Saturday, the CNE spokesperson, Paulo Cuinica, said the CNE is working so that the competing parties will receive the subsidies 21 days before the start of the official election campaign on 24 August.

Judging from previous elections, the state subsidy will be divided into three For the three elections to be held in October, namely the presidential, parliamentary and provincial elections. Each party will then receive funds in proportion to the number of constituencies it is contesting, and the number of candidates it is standing.

This state generosity explains why tiny parties, which have not been heard of since the last elections in 2019, have come out of hibernation and have presented candidates' nomination papers to the CNE.

Cuinica said that currently the CNE is trying to pay off the debts it incurred with suppliers during last year's municipal elections.

"Right now we are concerned with liquidating the debts from the municipal elections', he said, pointing out that the suppliers of goods and services for the general elections are the same companies which the CNE used last year.

"While we remain in debt to these suppliers, we will probably face some difficulties in obtaining the goods and services needed for this year's elections', Cuinica warned.

The money needed has been budgeted, he said, and the CNE was now waiting for the government to disburse the funds, so that it can pay off past debts and "deal with the suppliers we need in order to hold elections on 9 October'.