SABOTAGES RENAMO RALLY IN TETE CITY

Mozambique’s ruling Frelimo Party on Saturday forced Ossufo Momade, the leader and presidential candidate of the main opposition party, Renamo, to move a planned rally in the western city of Tete, by occupying the original site for Momade’s rally with children playing football.Traditionally, Renamo holds its rallies in Tete on the grounds of the Mateus Sansao Muthemba school – but this time Frelimo made sure that the football field was occupied throughout the day.For ten hours, various children’s teams played, using footballs distributed by Frelimo. The games were held under the eyes of Frelimo members acting as trainers and referees.Since Renamo was not about to molest a group of children, the party had to find an alternative venue for Momade’s rally and eventually used an old city market, known as Kwachena Kunharitanda.

Momade said he was not surprised by Frelimo’s attitude, because the ruling party “is anti-democratic. They know we enjoy a great deal of support among the public who want changes in the governance of the country”.He pointed out that the electoral legislation allows political parties to hold their campaign events in any public space anywhere in the country “so that the voters can choose the best programme of governance. If Frelimo prevents this, it means that they are afraid of losing the elections on 15 October”.He recalled the incident that happened at Domwe, in the Tete district of Angonia, where his vehicle was stoned by Frelimo members.“But that doesn’t matter”, he said. “What’s most important is that you should vote for Renamo and for me, Ossufo Momade, in order to have a government capable of letting you live free of oppression. Renamo and Ossufo Momade are the only salvation for this country which is currently sinking because it is full of people who are corrupt and merciless, who fill their pockets and those of their relatives, while the people are suffering, in a country very right in natural resources.