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Large rallies mark end of official Mozambique campaign President Joaquim
Chissano, leader of the ruling Frelimo Party and Afonso Dhlakama, who heads
Renamo, the main opposition coalition held major rallies in their traditional
strongholds today. Chissano addressed a roaring crowd in Maputo of some
20,000, while Dhlakama returned to his home area of Beira in the central
province of Sofala where about 10,000 turned out to cheer the former rebel
leader. Chissano had to wear both
his hats. He arrived late for the rain-soaked rally because, in his capacity
as head of state, he opened the Southern African Trade and Investment
Conference here and delivered the keynote address as well as officially
meeting several heads of state and government from the region who came to
Maputo for the economic conference. Chissano is also the current chair of the
Southern African Development Community (SADC). Quickly changing from a
sober business suit to a bright red Frelimo sports shirt, he arrived at
Machava Stadium where bands and musicians had been trying to keep the crowd
hyped for his arrival about two hours late. It was vintage Frelimo despite
the chilly weather which kept dumping rain on the already soaked crowd. Just
before the President arrived, the sun came out, a sign of brighter things,
the president said. Flags, stickers, T-shirts,
buttons, live music and hundreds of Frelimo officials kept the partisan
audience cheering until the motorcade arrived. Chissano, a sharp campaigner
danced and sang for the audience all of whom appeared to be ardent Frelimo
supporters who interrupted dozens of times chanting Chissano! Frelimo!
Mozambique! His message was one he'd
delivered dozens of times up and down the country. He listed Frelimo's
achievements over the past five years, promised more reconstruction and
progress in the next five and insisted that Frelimo was the party of peace
and prosperity while Renamo would turn the clock back and lacked the ability
to keep Mozambique the fastest-growing country in the region. He implied several times
that Renamo was a party of war and destruction while Frelimo was the party of
national unity. "In the last five
years this country has developed roads, schools, hospitals, water supply and
electricity. But most important of all we have achieved 10 percent economic
growth with the lowest inflation rate in SADC." He thanked the crowd for
its support and said the growth were not just statistical data "the
people told me these numbers. They told me during the campaign that their
lives were better now and in the last five years than they had ever
been." Chissano said the first
five years of his mandate - constitutionally, he can only run for two
five-year terms - were an assault on the country's abject poverty which had
to be reduced. "The next five years
we will concentrate on combating the causes of our people's poverty. We will
try to end illiteracy with adult education and unemployment by creating more
jobs. We will provide better health for everyone. In 1994, our average life
expectancy was only 39, by 1999 it had reached 42 and we will do the things
that are needed to raise it to the level of developed countries." It was electioneering of
course and crowd was partisan but the platform was clear and what Chissano
has been saying for years:
"For
all this to happen we need peace and stability. No one must allow Renamo to
start the war again." Some people in the
cheering stadium said Chissano had lashed out at Renamo too much and it could
backfire on him. They pointed out that Renamo, like Frelimo had promised to
accept the democratic election results. "He makes Renamo
sound more important than they are. Is he running scared?" asked a man
covered in Frelimo badges and stickers who would not give his name. Further north at the port
city of Beira, Dhlakama who is usually dressed in somber business suits, wore
a cream-coloured open-necked shirt and spoke from the back of a pickup truck
to a crowd about half the size of Chissano's. However, Beira. Mozambique's
second city, is much smaller than Maputo. His welcome was as noisy
and his supporters just as partisan. Bands and singers lead the audience in
chanting pro-Renamo songs and yelling for change. The former rebel leader's
theme was much as it has been through the campaign. Frelimo has been in power
too long, it is time for a change. The government and Frelimo are corrupt and
their officials have been harassing Renamo since the election call was made. "Renamo will win, and
I will win the presidency," he roared, "but we have much to
overcome. The state and Frelimo have been one for too long. They have abused
their power and kept the opposition from receiving enough funds to
campaign." Political parties are
allocated state funds by the National Elections Committee (CNE) on a
proportional basis. Dhlakama committed himself
on behalf of Renamo to accepting the results of the election, claiming that
Renamo was a party of peace and that it would never return to war. He pointed
to the coalition of Renamo with 10 small parties who have backed Dhlakama in
his run for the presidency, forming what is known as Renamo-Electoral Union.
It has adopted Renamo's colours and flag. His speech made few concrete promises except to continue Mozambique's economic growth. He concentrated on Frelimo's mistakes, corruption and Mozambique's need for change. (SARDC) |
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