NEW VEHICLES FOR CNE MEMBERS

The Mozambican government has allocated new vehicles to members of the country’s National Elections Commission (CNE), reports Wednesday’s issue of the independent daily “O Pais”.12 vehicles, of the Hyundai Azzera V6 mark, had been acquired for the 12 CNE members whose status is equivalent to that of deputy ministers. The 13th CNE member, its chairperson, Joao Leopoldo da Costa, has the same standing as a minister – the report did not say whether he too has acquired a new vehicle. Speaking to reporters last week, the Minister of Planning and Development, Aiuba Cuereneia, confirmed the acquisition of these vehicles, despite the austerity measures the government announced in September.“The government cannot stop carrying out its plans because of the austerity measures”, he said. Vehicles for the CNE members were necessary because of the nature of the CNE’s work, he saiBut currently there is no visible sign of any CNE work. The next municipal elections are not due until 2013, and they will be followed by presidential and parliamentary elections in 2014. The results from the 2009 general elections have been validated, and there are no further appeals for the CNE to consider.There is not even much preparatory work for the 2013 and 2014 elections that the CNE can do, because the electoral legislation is being revised by the country’s parliament, the Assembly of the Republic. No-once can predict, at this stage, the exact shape of the rules that will govern the next elections.One thing is quite certain – this CNE will no longer exist by the time the 2013 elections are held. A new CNE must be elected, and widely variant proposals on its size, and how its members will be selected have been made by the three parliamentary parties (the ruling Frelimo Party, the former rebel movement Renamo, and the Mozambique Democratic Movement, MDM).This is the second time that the CNE members have received vehicles from the state – the first time was in early 2009.