by FREDSON GUILENGUE
A third force has emerged in Mozambican politics, the MDM party that is causing powerful ripples, especially in urban areas and the regions until now marginalised by the ruling FRELIMO party. RENAMO, the main opposition party, is dying. MDM is likely to put a strong showing in October’s presidential election because of growing disaffection for the ruling party. But MDM is unlikely to trounce the still well-entrenched FRELIMO
In Mozambique’s latest municipal elections the governing party FRELIMO (Frente de Libertação de Moçambique) appears to have obliterated any opposition when it managed to win 49 out of 53 contested municipalities. RENAMO (Resistência Nacional de Moçambique) has virtually ceased to exist as a representative political party, due to its boycotting of Mozambique’s fourth municipal elections on 20 November 2013. Closer scrutiny, however, shows a very different picture, that is, the rapid growth and nationwide birth of the MDM (Movimento Democrático de Moçambique) that has more than filled the space left by RENAMO, a development that might signify a complete diversion away from ex-liberation movement politics.
Meanwhile, in terms of controlling strategic urban municipalities, the 20 November 2013 official electoral results confined FRELIMO to the capital city of Maputo (and the industrial municipality of Matola). The second, third and fourth of Mozambique’s most important cities all fell under the control of MDM. In Beira MDM leader, Simango, gained 70,44% of the vote in the mayoral race, while MDM won 67,58% of the vote for the municipal parliament; in Quelimane, MDM’s Manuel de Araújo won the mayoral vote with 68,21% with MDM securing 65,59% of the parliamentary vote; in Nampula MDM candidate Mamudo Amurane, obtained 54% of the mayoral vote while MDM 52% of the parliamentary vote. The official results also revealed that the capital city of Maputo was under serious threat of being taken over by MDM. While FRELIMO obtained 56,42% of the mayoral vote, MDM obtained 40,53%. Out of 64 of Maputo’s parliamentary seats FRELIMO obtained 37 and MDM 27. (CNE 2013) [1]
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