On January 9, the main leader of the opposition of Mozambik, Venancer Mondlan, returned home after two months in self -imposed exile.
As he appeared at the door of the Maputo International Airport, he knelt on the ground by clamping the Bible, offered a prayer for his homeland and declared “the elected President of Mozambik, … elected by the true will of people.”
Speaking to the press, he claimed that the Government was beginning a “quiet genocide” abduction and executing members of the opposition to hide the obvious irregularities in the 9th October election. A violent conflict between the State Security forces and the thousands of protesters came from, who came to show their support to a 50-year-old Pentecostal preacher.
The chaotic scenes of that day at the airport were representative for the mozen gloomy reality after the selection, defined by broad anticover protests and meaningless state violence.
Following the election, the Mozambique Election Commission quickly declared Freim’s party, which has been at the helm of the country for 50 years, and his presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as lawful winners. She claimed that Chapo won more than 70 percent of the vote, and Mondlane, aided by Podemos Party, second with only 20 percent.
However, by the time Cne published official results, several independent election missions, including The mission of the EU Election observer AND Bishop’s Conference of Mozambique, He had already come to the conclusion that the election procedure that led to the proclamation was not free or fair. They reported on irregularities during counting and changes in the results at the local and district level.
Mondlane and other opposition numbers immediately condemned the election results, asked for a pollutant to repeat the polling stations and encouraged supporters to rise against Freimo.
In response, the Freim Government ordered violently decline About all public terms of disagreement.
More than 300 people, including several children, died in violence in the last three months. Among the tragic losses are Elvino DiasThe legal representative of Mondlane and Paula Gubam, an official from Podemos, who are both shot by unknown attackers in the Maputo capital in October. After these murders, Mondlane made the decision to temporarily move abroad for his safety.
The election dispute was also pierced by economic chaos in Mozambique and the wider region.
Frequent major protests began to disrupt trade While vandalism and looting It became common, pushing the South African nation into an eternal state of severe uncertainty, anxiety and restlessness.
The vital trade roads are also affected by the mining sector of South Africa facing daily losses 10 million Randa ($ 562,822) and potential exclusion due to repetitive zippers of border post Lebobo. Moreover, a prison mess in the map on Christmas brought to the fleeing 1,500 prisonersemphasizing the critical failure in the law and order.
December 2, Mozambuk’s Constitutional Council He confirmed to Chape’s electoral victory, officially extending Freim’s 50-year term of office. This verdict, however, only used to escape the anger of protesters.
As Mozambique lost all faith in the ability of their country’s internal mechanisms to ensure democratic management, they began to look beyond their borders for solutions for the prevailing crisis.
January 6 Mozambica organization of civil society He performed excellently to the Office of South Africa President Cyril Ramaphos, asking him to intervene to help resolve the extract between Freimo and the opposition.
They called on Ramaphos to facilitate the involvement of the African court of justice, the International Criminal Court and the Council of Peace and Security of the African Union to resolve the crisis.
There is no doubt that it was an unusual request.
Instead of approaching the South African developmental community (Sadc), a regional body that should lead any external efforts to deal with tension, Mozambica activists decided to begin bilateral engagement with South Africa, leading democracy of the region. This demonstration of distrust in Sadac was certainly not surprising, but further emphasized the urgent need for a regional body to improve its performance.
The day before the petition was submitted in Praetoria, Sadc Troika Responsible for questions relating to politics, defense and security – currently made up of Tanzani, Malawi and Zambia – have convened a virtual summit to discuss the situation in Mozambique. At the meeting, the three term of office of the Stalds Board of the Sadc Minister Board is to cooperate with the Mozambica government and the key leaders of the opposition.
Although this was a step in the right direction, it is important to note that it was a move that came very late and many saw him as nothing else than an attempt to save his face.
Indeed, the mission of the observer’s choice of SAYS, unlike everyone else, was eagerly approved by the October 9th of October, declaring that they were “Professionally organized” And she took place in a “neat, quiet and free atmosphere”. In the eyes of most protesters, this attitude has already proven that Sadc cannot serve as a goal and only an arbitrator in this crisis.
Those in the region from Zimbabwe,, Eswatini and Angola to Democratic Republic of Congo Was he a long time ago aware of the tendency of Sadc to close his view of the gross election abuse and oppression of the state.
In fact, they also learned themselves in Mozambique long before these latest choices that they do not expect much from Sadc when it comes to protecting democracy.
Five years ago, the previous Mozambica president who supported Freim, Filipe Nyusi, secured his second term of office after declaring a victory in the 2019 election.
The opposition and several independent election missions have similarly maintained this pollly poll on the widespread irregularities, intimidation, violence and political killings. Body with a bullet Babula JequeWomen’s League leader Renamo in Zumba, was found next to his husband in the Western Province of Aunt the day before voting voted.
As today, Sadc did nothing much to solve the problem and continued cordial relations with Freim’s government.
If Sadc is to maintain any credibility and cause positive changes in the region, it cannot continue to communicate with the Government of Frekimo as if everything is normal.
The more important, if the USA – or even African Union – do not intervene immediately in the situation, Mozambique could be pushed into a much deeper and more violent crisis that would prove catastrophic for its more than 30 million citizens, as well as the wider region.
16 years from May 1977 to October 1992. Mozambique experienced a devastating civil war. More recently, since 2017, the northern province rich in gas Cabo Delgado It was entangled in a violent institution that killed more than 4,000 people and displaced 946,000.
In the meantime, the country is ranked 183 of 189 Countries on the United Nations Human Development Index 2023-2024. With a national poverty rate 74.7 percentis one of the poorest and Least developed Countries in the world despite the abundance of natural resources.
Moreover, Mozambique is flooded with systematic iniquity.
In December 2022. Elisa Samuel Boerekamp, General Secretary Association of Mozambique JudgesShe said her country had met with the “crisis of the democratic rule of the law.” This followed after Freim brought a table with one salary, which is a law that weakened the independence of the judges of the lower courts.
In the midst of muddy attempts to undermine the rule of law, corruption is also full in the country. The infamous scandal with a hidden debt of $ 2 billion in which Freim officials allegedly participated in, allegedly cost Mozambik $ 11 billionled to a significant reduction in national health expenditure, caused an increase in rebel activities in Cabo Delgado and pushed almost two million people into poverty.
In this worrying context, if they are left to bite, wounds that are open election irregularities could easily switch the Earth to a devastating inner conflict.
Fortunately, for now, Mondlane and his supporters persevere in their belief that the elections, not rebellions, serve as the most favorable avenue to make changes, even in the face of many difficulties arising from Freim’s unscrupulous and undisputed administration. However, there is no guarantee that the second group will decide to follow the same strategy in the future. Considering the obvious lack of interest of the outside world to help Mozambanese, the supporters of the democracy to counter the oppressive Freim government, the frustration of the population and despair to change the continuous growth.
If he wants to prevent the future catastrophe in Mozambique, Sadc must now assemble his act, stop perseveling into the ruling party and taking concrete steps to put Mozambique on the path to becoming a true democracy.
The leaders of the region must ensure that Mozambique begins to fulfill their legal obligations as stated in Sadc protocols.
January 15, Chapo swore as a new president of Mozambique. One of his first major works in power was the dismissal of police chief Bernadino Rafael, who was accused by opposition data of working with criminal groups for the abduction and killing of civilian protesters after the election. The new president seemingly working to gain public confidence and to forget the angry masses and forgive the violence that was sanctioned by the state that preceded his ascent to duty.
The people, however, will not forget. So, even Sadc should not forget.
The regional body must act now and establish provisions to prevent repetition in the last three months in the next election cycle.
If this fails, it will risk it to become completely unimportant and condemn Mozambique to be reduced to a failed situation in a not -so -distant future.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s and do not reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeere.
