Frelimo’s show of force

Good afternoon. Ever since protests erupted last month over vote-rigging in Mozambique’s elections, ruling party Frelimo has been strikingly absent from the national debate. Insofar as President Filipe Nyusi has spoken out about the protests (not much), he has done so as president of Mozambique, not as leader of Frelimo. But that silence has now been broken. Former prime minister Agostinho do Rosário appeared on TV last night to speak in defence of Frelimo, as did Daniel Matavele, Frelimo’s first secretary in Gaza province. Matavele was leading a Frelimo march in the Gaza town of Macia.

These are not random appearances. Yesterday’s edition of newssheet Canalmoz led with a report on what it calls the “Chapo plan”, a Frelimo operation to discredit the opposition, persuade people (especially young people) not to protest and endorse the official election results that say that Frelimo won (see below). The families of people who died during the protests are to be visited, and the pro-Frelimo message is to be spread through churches. Mass marches all over the country are planned. In the meantime, senior figures in Frelimo are obviously being put forward to appear on TV to endorse the party’s position.

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The latest from Zitamar News:

Mondlane demands to speak to Nyusi about electoral and public sector reform

Reform of the National Elections Commission and the removal of Frelimo’s influence from state institutions are part of Venâncio Mondlane’s agenda for the proposed meeting with President Nyusi on Tuesday

Zitamar NewsDavid Pacheco

From the Zitamar Live Blog:

Zitamar Mozambique Live Blog

Supporters of presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane have today responded to his call for continued peaceful protests over the disputed elections, with pedestrians and vehicles blocking traffic in various areas. Demonstrators have been marching, displaying placards, singing the national anthem, and using whistles and vuvuzelas to voice their dissent in the city of Maputo. Despite the peaceful nature of the protests, the police’s Rapid Intervention Unit has used tear gas to disperse the crowds. Sign up for Zitamar’s daily briefing email here Follow Zitamar on our Telegram Channel, on BlueSky, Twitter / X, Facebook, and Linkedin ...to keep abreast of all the latest developments in #Mozambique

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Zitamar Mozambique Live Blog

Hélder Martins, one of just five surviving founding members of Mozambique’s ruling Frelimo party, yesterday published an open letter calling for an urgent national conference of politicians and social activists to chart a way out of the current crisis in the country. His letter comes after violent protests across the country in the wake of last month’s disputed elections. Martins blamed a decline in Frelimo for Mozambique’s crises, including youth unemployment, poverty, and a failing public sector. He criticized government incompetence and internal issues within the party, such as the infiltration of opportunists and suppression of free speech. His letter condemned the electoral fraud at this year’s and last year’s elections, as well as police violence and corruption. The letter is attached. Sign up for Zitamar’s daily briefing email here Follow Zitamar on our Telegram Channel, on BlueSky, Twitter / X, Facebook, and Linkedin ...to keep abreast of all the latest developments in #Mozambique

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Coincidentally or not, the plan has emerged after another apparent propaganda campaign designed to help Frelimo, in the form of articles and social media posts from shadowy organisations, including so-called “election observers”, which has been going on since before the elections, as we reported yesterday.