The election campaign now drawing to a close is “the most peaceful since the introduction of multi-party politics in Mozambique”, according to Edson Macuacua, Central Committee Secretary for Mobilisation and Propaganda of the ruling Frelimo Party.

Speaking at a Maputo press conference on Sunday, Macuacua said “no political force used violence systematically”, and what few violent incidents had occurred were “marginal”.

The Frelimo presidential candidate, Armando Guebuza, standing for re-election, had visited all 11 provinces, some of them twice. Macuacua said Guebuza had campaigned in 64 of the countryÂ’s 128 districts, addressed 75 mass rallies, and held 36 meetings with groups of influential figures.

Frelimo was confident of victory in next Wednesday’s general and provincial elections, said Macuacua. He was sure that the electorate would back Frelimo, “because Frelimo is the party of achievements, the architect of independence, unity, freedom, democracy, peace and development”.

Also counting in FrelimoÂ’s favour, he argued, was the work of GuebuzaÂ’s government over the past five years, including the decentralisation of part of the budget to district level, and the expansion in health and education services, in access to clean drinking water, and in the electricity and communications networks.

GuebuzaÂ’s personal leadership qualities, and the fact that Frelimo is the largest, and best organised party in the country, were also important factors for victory.

But Macuacua declined to speculate on the scale of any Frelimo victory. Asked if he expected Frelimo to win two thirds of the parliamentary seats (which would allow the party to change the constitution on its own), Macuacua said “Frelimo’s target is always to do better than we did last time. It is not our target to win a two thirds majority. We have spoken of winning a massive victory, but we have not put any figure on it”.

Macuacua said that the opposition parties (and he was clearly referring to the former rebel movement Renamo, and to the breakaway Mozambique Democratic Movement, MDM) “have lost an opportunity to present themselves as an alternative”.

Instead they had “presented themselves as victims, demonized the electoral bodies, made unfounded accusations against Frelimo, tried to destabilize the elections and discredit Mozambique in the eyes of international opinion, and made a series of false and unattainable promises”.

A series of minor parties, such as the Independent Party of Mozambique (PIMO), the Labour Party (PT), and the Ecology Party (PEC-MT), had pledged their support to Guebuza over the past three weeks. Macuacua insisted they had done so of their own free will, and had not been bribed by Frelimo.

He accepted that these parties have minimal popular support, but pointed out that every vote counts and that Guebuza “wants support from all Mozambicans who are interested in developing the country.

Frelimo did not chase after the minor parties, he said. “They offered us their support, and so we accepted. Frelimo is not arrogant, and does not deny support when it is given unconditionally”.

Macuacua said that Frelimo will have monitors present at all 12,694 polling stations. The monitors “are the eyes and ears of the party at the polling stations, and are crucial for guaranteeing transparency and legality”.
(AIM)