Mozambique Political Process Bulletin 66 - Lorry going to Nyusi rally overturns injuring 26

Source: 2019 General Elections – Mozambique Political Process Bulletin

26 injured as truck overturns going to Nyusi rally

A truck packed with dozens of Frelimo supporters overturned and injured at least 26 people in Massingir district, Gaza, yesterday (Thursday 3 October). The truck was carrying people from the village of Banga to Frelimo candidate Filipe Nyusi’s rally at 9 am on the Massingir football pitch, our correspondents report. Four seriously injured were evacuated to Chokwe Rural Hospital.

Most of the deaths and injuries in this this election campaign have been due to traffic accidents, and Frelimo, in particular, has been plagued by road deaths. After seven people were killed and 50 injured when a packed truck overturned returning from a Nyusi rally in Songo, Tete, on 22 September, Filipe Nyusi has repeatedly said that people are not being transported to his rallies to boost the crowds. But it is clearly still happening.

Child killed by Frelimo caravan car

A 10-year-old child was killed yesterday, Thursday, by a car carrying Frelimo supporters to a rally of Frelimo candidate Filipe Nyusi in the village of Macia, Bilene district, Gaza. The incident occurred on National Road 1 (N1) in front of the 4 October primary school. A group of children left school to pick up Frelimo leaflets being thrown out the window by the occupants of the car. On the way back to school, one was hit and killed.

Since the start of the election campaign, more than 20 people have lost their lives as a result of traffic accidents caused by vehicles in the election campaign.

With Opposition Absent, Frelimo Captures Peace Day

Frelimo took over the Peace Day celebrations and the opposition parties were virtually invisible. Peace Day marks the signing of the peace accord between Renamo and the Frelimo government on 4 October 1992.

Chemba, Sofala, District Administrator Admira Filimone took advantage of the official Peace Day ceremonies to campaign for Frelimo. “The government of Filipe Nyusi will continue to work to ensure security and tranquility,” said Filimone to the population. No opposition party attended the event. “Renamo was not invited,” said Feliz Simoco, Renamo Head of Mobilization in the district.

In Morrumbala district, Zambezia, Frelimo members and supporters flooded Heroes’ Square with party t-shirts and caps. No opposition party was on site, our correspondents report. “We are not invited to participate in the Peace Day ceremonies,” Renamo’s representative in Neves de Brito told the Bulletin.

In Cheringoma district, Sofala, the Peace Day ceremonies were conducted by the district administrator, who at the time was dressed in a Frelimo T-shirt and cap. No opposition members were present at the venue.

In Gondola District, Manica, District Permanent Secretary Luis Nobre conducted the official Peace Day ceremonies and asked those present to vote for Frelimo. “We will vote for Frelimo because it is a peace party,” said Nobre. Opposition parties did not attend the event, our correspondents report.

Renamo district spokesman Edson Mapsanganhe told the newsletter that the party was not present at the peace celebrations due to preparations for the reception of its presidential candidate, Ossufo Momade. Mapsanganhe said Gondola goes through difficult days. “Here in Gondola there is no peace, there is movement of military personnel everywhere, attacks by men we do not know,” said the delegate.

In the Macate district of Manica, MDM preferred to campaign rather than attend Peace Day celebrations.

In Mecanhelas district, Niassa, district administrator Calisto Mussa campaigned for Frelimo during the celebration of Peace Day. “Frelimo and Nyusi are the right party and candidate,” Mussa told the population. At the time, Frelimo members and supporters flocked to the heroes’ square dressed in party T-shirts, capulanas and caps,

In Nangade, Cabo Delgado, Frelimo Secretary Salimo Nassoro told people during the Peace Day celebration to vote for Frelimo and its candidate on 15 October. On the occasion, there were dancers from Nangade primary school wearing Frelimo capulanas.

In Nangade and Mecanhelas, Renamo and MDM said they did not participate in the ceremony because they were not invited to do so.

Peace Day Celebration: Araujo says ‘we are at war’

In the face of the armed attacks that have occurred in the centre and north of the country, “Mozambique is at war and the Head of State has to acknowledge that. Nyusi is Commander-in-Chief and has a task, to convene the National Defence and Security Council so that he can be advised,” Manuel de Araujo, Renamo candidate for governor of Zambezia, told journalists this morning (4 October 4) in Quelimane. One cannot speak of peace as long as there are attacks from insurgents and armed men all over the country, he added.

With the end of the Peace Day celebrations in Heroes’ Square, Manuel de Araujo marched through the city of Quelimane in the company of Renamo members and supporters.

Since the start of the election campaign, at least 10 insurgent attacks have taken place in Cabo Delgado province and 4 in the central region.

Court acquits Renamo supporter in Nacala

Renamo backer Gabriel Pedro was acquitted for lack of proof by the court in Nacala Porto, Nampula, on Wednesday (October 2).

The trial follows a battle in which at least 23 people were injured and two homes partially burned in a fight in Matalane, Nacala Porto, perhaps as a result of a water source dispute between Frelimo and Renamo supporters or perhaps because a Renamo parade was stoned (19 September, see Bulletin 55-56).

Pedro was charged with arson, assault, and property damage. After hearing several victims, the court said there was no proof that Pedro damaged a motorcycle ambulance, burned two houses, or assaulted any of the 20 injured in the incident.

Frelimo-MDM punch-up in Mabalane

Two Frelimo supporters were slightly injured Thursday (3 October) as a result of an assault by MDM supporters. The incident occurred in the market of Mabalane, Gaza, when a group of Frelimo supporters met an MDM parade.

Editor: Joseph Hanlon | Publisher: Edson Cortez | News Editor: Borges Nhamire

Reporters: Aldemiro Bande, Magda Mendonça, Sheila Nhancale, Graciano Claudio, João Machassel
Published by CIP, Centro de Integridade Pública (Public Integrity Centre),
Rua Fernão Melo e Castro, no 124, Maputo. eleicoes@cipmoz.org bit.ly/GenEl2019

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There are two archives of historic elections data, at IESE on http://www.iese.ac.mz/eleicoes-resultado/ and at London School of Economics on http://bit.ly/MozElDaa. The LSE archive now has detailed 2013 and 2014 results, by polling station.