Mozambique opposition rejects election results

MAPUTO — Mozambique's main opposition party Renamo said Tuesday it rejects the southern African country's recent general elections and called on officials to annul the results of the vote.

Renamo lost the October 28 poll to Frelimo, the party that has ruled Mozambique since independence in 1975. Official results gave Frelimo 75 percent of the vote to 18 percent for Renamo.

Renamo accused Frelimo of stuffing ballot boxes and other "electoral crime," and submitted a formal complaint to the country's national elections commission asking for the poll to be annulled.

"Renamo calls on the good sense of the elections commission in analysing the questions posed by our party to decide for the annulment of the presidential, legislative and provincial elections," said the complaint, quoted in the independent newspaper O Pais.

"We are looking at an electoral crime," Renamo spokeswoman Ivone Soares told reporters.

"In the face of all these deliberate and intentional irregularities committed by election officials, under Frelimo's orders, Renamo ... will not accept the results of the October 28 elections."

The elections commission has acknowledged the vote was marred by polling station workers who intentionally invalidated ballots by making extra ink marks on them.

The commission also excluded more than 100,000 ballots, according to an analysis by the Mozambican Public Integrity Center and the Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa.

The groups, which have been monitoring the counting process, said the decision amounted to an implicit recognition of ballot box stuffing.

But the elections commission said the irregularities were not enough to affect the outcome of the poll.

Former rebel group Renamo, which fought the Frelimo government in a 16-year civil war following independence, has made allegations of electoral fraud following each of Mozambique's four national elections since a 1992 peace agreement ushered in the country's first democratic polls.

Renamo has never won a majority in parliament, and long-time party leader Afonso Dhlakama has run unsuccessfully for president in each election.

Source:http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jU2dHeVa9DKkZku8slfqULRrRmlg

Mozambique: Major corruption trial begins

MAPUTO, Mozambique — A former Cabinet minister and four other defendants are standing trial in the biggest corruption case to go to court in Mozambique since independence in 1975.

In the trial that began Monday, former Transport Minister Antonio Munguambe and four former officials of the company that runs this southeast African country's airports are accused of stealing nearly $2 million from the company. They face sentences of between eight and 12 years in prison.

Munguambe was appointed in 2005 and fired last year — not because of the corruption scandal, but because of riots in Maputo over the high price of fuel.

Another corruption trial, involving former Interior Minister Almerino Manhenje, will be held sometime next year.

Mozambique passed an anti-corruption law in 2004. President Armando Guebuza, who first came to power in 2005 and won re-election last month, has promised to root out graft.

But Marcelo Mosse, an independent Mozambican anti-graft campaigner, said, "It does not mean that things will change just because the case is on."

Mosse said corruption is too entrenched within Guebuza's Frelimo party, which has ruled Mozambique since independence from Portugal in 1975. He said most of the accused in what is known here as the Airport Case are linked to the party, which controls state businesses.

The judge trying the Airport Case, Dimas Marroa, told reporters Tuesday some of the stolen funds went into Frelimo's coffers.

Prosecutors say the thefts from the airport company took place between 2005 and October 2008. The judge said he believes even more may have been taken.

Mosse said corruption undermines development in one of Africa's most impoverished countries, because even aid money from abroad is being stolen.

Mozambique ranked among the 50 most corrupt countries in the world the watchdog Transparency International said in its annual Corruption Perceptions Index released Tuesday. Mozambique was tied with countries like Nigeria and Libya in the ranking that measures perceived levels of public sector corruption in 180 countries, drawing on surveys of businesses and experts.

Source:http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g3TYIVL1rx2e4tIZdjKUuib2-R_wD9C1DA780

Cove Energy eyes start of four-well programme offshore Mozambique

Oil and gas group Cove Energy today said a drillship was on its way from port in Mozambique to begin a four well drilling programme on the Rovuma Offshore Area 1.

The programme is expected to get underway in the next few days with the initial plan to set surface casing for the Collier well and then move to and drill the Windjammer well before returning to Collier. The offshore Rovuma Block is operated by Anadarko Petroleum and 8.5% held by Cove.

Elsewhere, Cove said that Anadarko had encountered hydrocarbon shows during the drilling of the Mecupa 1 commitment well on the Rovuma Onshore Concession in Mozambique. Pending further evaluation of the well data, the decision has been taken by the partners to plug and abandon the well at this time. Cove holds a conditional 10% participating interest covering the Rovuma onshore area.

John Craven, the chief executive of Cove Energy, said: “The information seen in the Mecupa well is positive for the onshore block, in that the well encountered excellent reservoir sands and indications of hydrocarbons at various intervals.”

In September, Cove agreed a deal with French group Maurel & Prom for the two sides to farm-in to three oil and gas interests held by Canadian company Artumas. Two of those included Rovuma Offshore Area 1 and Rovuma Onshore Concession and the other was the Mnazi Bay project in Tanzania.

Source:smallcapnews.co.uk/

Will GU, Santos alter Botswana fortunes?

Will Gaborone United (GU) and Uniao Flamengo Santos change the fortunes of Botswana football in African club competitions?

The question might seem frivolous after the draw for the CAF Champions League pitted GU against South African giants, Orlando Pirates and Santos against Mozambique's seasoned campaigners, Costa Do Sol in CAF Confederations Cup. Barring a major upset, the two Botswana sides seem doomed. They are not likely to better or equal the record of Notwane as the only Botswana club to reach the last 16 of an African club competition.

In the current campaign, the match to watch for Botswana fans is GU against Pirates.Even if they are tossed out, GU might be smiling all the way to the bank as the South African side command a huge following even in Botswana.

If properly marketed, the game should easily attract a full house in Gaborone, hopefully to the National Stadium. GU have said they want the game to be played at the giant stadium as it can accommodate a large crowd. But the stadium is under renovation and it is not clear if it will be ready when the preliminary round tie is played on the weekend of February 12 to 14.

In all respects, Pirates are miles ahead of GU. Formed in 1937, Pirates is South Africa's oldest club and has won everything on offer on the domestic scene. They are the only southern African team that wears a kit with a star above their badge - symbolic of their triumph in the 1995 Champions League.

Pirates started the 2009-2010 well, winning their first nine matches before hitting a rough patch. However, they still boast some of the best talent in South Africa, including the talismanic, Tsholofelo 'Teko' Modise. Local fans should be salivating at the prospect of watching former Township Rollers' player, Phenyo Mongala in action against his homeboys. Other big names at Pirates include goalkeeper, Moneeb Josephs, Dikgang Mabalane, Terror Fanteni and Lucas Thwala. Their coach Rudolf Krol of Holland is however under pressure after the poor run of form and it is not clear if he will still be around come February. Judging by history, Pirates are favoured to progress through to the first round.

The Buccaneers qualified for the CAF Champions League after finishing second behind Super Sport United. South Africa has been allocated two slots in the Champions League.

Botswana has only one slot taken by GU, which won their first national title last season after nearly 20 years. Formed in Gaborone in 1967, the club became a dominant force in the country and earned the nickname, 'the Money Machine' in the 1980s because of its brutal dominance in cash-laden cup competitions. There was a turbulent time when the club dropped to the First Division for five years but bounced back to claim their first league title in 19 years last season.

They have participated twice in the CAF Champions League - in 1987 and 1991. They went out in the preliminaries and would be looking for a change of fortunes this time around. They participated in the CAF Confederations Cup once in 1984. GU boasts good players in Sageby Sandaka, Ronald Chikomo, Ofentse Nato and Joseph Phethego. Driven by the underdog tag against fancied Pirates might work in their favour.

In the CAF Confederations Cup, Santos is a young side both in talent and history. The club was formed in 2003 and boasts of youthful talent. They won their first major title when they bagged the country's premier knockout cup competition, the Coca-Cola Cup, defeating seasoned campaigners, BDF XI in the final.

Santos are making their debut in continental club competitions. Though they are on a learning curve as first timers, they are expected to hit the ground running. In Thato 'Yellow' Bolelweng, Mogakolodi 'Tsotso' Ngele and Godfrey Ngele, the Gabane side boasts of talented youngsters.

But there is need for experience to guide the young players. Thapelo Sethebethe can provide guidance but lacks international experience.

Santos opponents Clube de Desportos Costa Do Sol of Maputo was formed in 1955 and has participated in numerous CAF competitions. The club has made 11 CAF Champions League appearances, reaching the group stages in 2002. They reached the quarterfinals of the then African Cup Winners' Cup twice in 1996 and 1998. With their rich history, Costa Do Sol start as favourites against Santos.

Source:mmegi.bw/

We are ready for Mozambique – ‘Madze’

SOCCER – NATIONAL Under 20 squad’s head-coach Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga has warned that their opening Metropolitan COSAFA Under 20 tournament’s group match against Mozambique would be the toughest today.
Interviewed on the eve of this important match, Bulunga observed that after watching the Mozambicans in action against Madagascar on Monday, he noted some very strong points in their style of play.
“They are definitely not an average team and we need not fool ourselves about that. As far as I can see, this is definitely going to be one of the toughest matches for us and we need to be well prepared for that battle.
“Even Madagascar is also very good technically and we dismiss their next game against them as a walkover,” he warned.
The Umbelebele Cosmos’ mentor, however, sounded confident that his charges would not fail him and the Swazi nation against the Mozambicans.
“I can safely say we are ready for the game. We have done everything to ensure that our players are physically and psychologically ready for the game. They are now ready to play the game,” he said.
support
Bulunga also emphasised on the importance of emotional support, urging all Swazis to travel to Johannesburg and rally behind the local boys.
“Countries like Zambia have a lot of supporters in South Africa and this motivates even their players in the field of play. I’m sure it would really motivate our players to see some Swazis in the crowd, supporting them,” he appealed.
Captain Ncamiso ‘Mbhonyo’ Dlamini, who is Umbelebele Cosmos’ goalkeeper, also assured that they have done their homework after two consecutive defeats against South Africa and Botswana.
“We made a lot of mistakes in those games but we have worked on them and are ready to win against Mozambique. We have been warned by the coaches not to be complacent after what happened against Botswana and I can safely say we are focused on the game now,” he said.

Source:observer.org.sz/

Mozambique: Airports Case - Witness Complains of Pressure

Maputo — As a major corruption trial resumed in Maputo on Monday, another witness confirmed that in 2007 the then chairperson of the Mozambican Airports Company (ADM), Diodino Cambaza, had paid 20,000 dollars to purchase a property in Marracuene district, about 30 kilometres north of Maputo.

Luisa Mucovelo, wife of Joseldo Massango, the man who was selling the property, confirmed to the court that she and her husband had jointly signed the declaration that they had received the money from Cambaza.

Massango had earlier testified that, although he had only wanted 20,000 dollars, Cambaza paid him with a cheque for 25,000. When he cashed the cheque, he gave the extra 5,000 dollars to Cambaza who pocketed it.

The money came from ADM, via its subsidiary, the catering company SMS (Mozambique Services Company), and Cambaza had claimed that the money was to pay for unspecified expenses of the ruling Frelimo Party.

During the investigations, Cambaza had denied any knowledge of Joseldo Massango, and claimed that before his arrest he had never met him.

But Mucovelo told the court that Cambaza had repeatedly sent messengers to her, trying to persuade her to change her story. They wanted her to sign a document saying that she had sold the Marracuene property for 500,000 meticais (about 18,300 dollars).

This would have suppressed the fact that in fact Cambaza had paid for it with 25,000 dollars which his colleagues at ADM and SMS believed had gone to Frelimo. Cambaza's envoys, according to Mucovelo, offered her a bribe of 50,000 meticais which she rejected.

The final envoy from Cambaza was his lawyer, Vasconcelos Porto, accompanied by the head of the ADM legal department, Salvador Taimo. They went to see Mucovele last Thursday.

"He (Vasconcelos) said he wanted to talk with me about his client (Cambaza), but when he discovered that I was the wife of Massango, he didn't say anything else", said Mucovele.

This peculiar incident, which might easily be interpreted as an attempt to intimidate a witness, infuriated the presiding judge, Dimas Marroa. For it is a gross violation of legal ethics for a lawyer representing an accused, in the middle of a trial, to take one witness round to the house of another witness, without so much as informing the court.

During Monday's proceedings, it also emerged that Vasconcelos and Taimo had been to visit the Marracuene property purchased by Cambaza, again without the knowledge of the court.

"The trial had already begun - so with what mandate did you go to the land in Marracuene and to the house of Massango's wife?", Marroa asked Taimo.

Taimo could only respond "I didn't ask Vasconcelos that question".

Since both Vasconcelos and Taimo have law degrees, they should know very well that the only investigations that can be undertaken while a trial is in process are those authorised by the court.

The excuse offered by Vasconcelos was that he had gone to the house in search of another witness. He claimed the court had asked him to locate some of the witnesses he wished to call.

Marroa categorically denied this. "I didn't ask you to intervene", he told Vasconcelos. "In the dispatch I issued there's no request of that sort".

On Monday the court also took evidence from Martins Matola, the secretary of the ADM trade union committee. When a group of workers denounced Cambaza to the anti-corruption office, Matola led a counter-offensive in defence of Cambaza.

He traveled across the country and collected 281 signatures of ADM workers to a petition praising Cambaza for his efforts to improve workers' conditions. The petition was sent to President Armando Guebuza, Prime Minister Luisa Diogo, Attorney-General Augusto Paulino, and other authorities.

Matola told the court that the group who denounced Cambaza "had no legitimacy to speak in the name of all ADM workers".

Marroa asked him if he had ever heard of the fight against corruption. Matola replied that he thought any problem in the company should be debated between the workers, via their trade union committee, and the management. He seemed unable or unwilling to grasp that blowing the whistle on a crime does not depend on a trade union stamp of approval.

Source:allafrica.com/

Mozambique: Maputo Council to Invest in Reorganizing Suburbs

Maputo — The Maputo Municipality is to implement, as from next year, an integrated development project for the Chamanculo 'C' neighbourhood, with Italian and Brazilian cooperation, declared the city's mayor, David Simango, on Monday.

According to the plans, it will take 24 months to implement this project, and it will cost 2.7 million US dollars.

"In practice, we want to urbanize this neghbourhood, and have well identified plots, to open roads, to build drainage and sanitation systems, in order to improve the lives of the residents", said Simango.

'We want to use the case of Chamunculo 'C' as a pilot experience to be extended to all of entire Chamanculo, Mafalala, and Maxaquene suburbs, which are the suburbs with most problems of access roads and population resettlement", he added.

Simango was addressing the opening session of a four day meeting on cooperation between Mozambique and Italy in this specific area of urban planning. Representatives of various departments of the Brazilian government, as well as the Italian government attended.

The meeting is to approve the final document of the project and actions to mobilize the communities and carry out the necessary plans for the technical studies in the field.

Preparations for the document in question started about a year ago, and brought a number of specialists from Italy and Brazil to Maputo, and a delegation from the Maputo municipal council visited Brazil to exchange experiences and learn methods of how to implement the project.

Simango said that expectations are that the meeting will find consensus to ensure "the success of the project in its methodological, technical and financial aspects, and also in the mechanisms of technical inspection and financial management".

As for the need to resettle some families, whose houses may have to be demolished to give way to the implementation of the project, Simango said "the approach is to move families only when justified. It is not to move everyone. The idea is not to destroy everything and clear up the zone afterwards".

"Obviously, we will do so whenever necessary to open roads, and that may affect some people", said Simango. "But we have the experience of building urban roads where we move the minimum number of people when necessary".

In such cases, the people moved would be compensated - not monetarily, but providing them with "a new plot, and conditions for a new house, sometimes better than the one they had before", said the mayor.

Source:allafrica.com/