The people’s vote is a way to show the West that there is a semblance of democracy in Mozambique. In a true democracy elections are conducted by independent bodies, while political parties or civil society organizations play their appropriate part too. But in the case of Mozambique, the ruling party controls the state apparatus since, state officials, state buildings, state assets, fuel and lubricants, business and others are owned or controlled by the FRELIMO party or FRELIMO political members (Edwin Hounnou, CM, 31/10/2019). Concluding Remarks All national liberation movements in Southern Africa, including FRELIMO, came to power between the 1970s 1990s, through popular support derived from the successful expulsion of colonialism. Until 1974, one year before independence in Mozambique, FRELIMO was a credible representative of the Mozambican population, guided by moral values acclaimed by all. Since then FRELIMO has been conceived to be an eternal party because it liberated the country from colonialism. Hence, no other parallel force is allowed to hinder the functioning of its ideologies. In this regard, the idea of transparency, free and fair elections is absolutely ruled out. Democracy is the government of the people, where the supreme power belongs to the people and is exercised directly by the people or their representatives, through a free electoral system, but in
Mozambique and in almost all of Africa this concept of democracy is far from being achieved. Ethics is essential in creating a balance for democracy in order to restore human dignity so that persons are not used as objects for political manipulation. Regrettably, the General Peace Agreement of 1992 cannot be understood as a radical democratization and abandonment of FRELIMO’s dominant discourse, but as a reconfiguration that opened space for institutional compromises such as free elections and a multiplicity of political parties, yet without changing anything in the current map of power. Broader reconciliation in the social and almost ‘theological’ sense of leaving past grudges in order to embrace national forgiveness has proved to be difficult to achieve. This requires a commitment to break with the past, heal the wounds of the past, forgive but not forget, and build a future based on respect for human rights. The reality of human rights places a great responsibility on all people, Mukai - Vukani No.74 | December 2019 |
because human rights are not a gift given as a favour by some people towards others. Rather, human rights are inalienable from and inherent to human dignity. What happened in the 2019 presidential, legislative and provincial elections does not give any opportunity for reconciliation, dialogue and mutual acceptance of both elections results and the existence of the opposition to take part in the political affairs of the country. The recent elections in Mozambique betray the General Peace Agreement of October 1992. They also do not reflect the subsequent peace and reconciliation agreements signed between the two belligerent parties in Mozambique. Social cohesion is being destroyed because FRELIMO uses its powers to divide Mozambicans, creating conflict in order to remain in power yet perpetuating the suffering of the people. The parties to the conflict must do more to correct on both sides the errors and shortcomings
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