Small opposition parties in Mozambique have complained that they are being deliberately squeezed from parliament by the country’s two major political forces, the ruling Frelimo and ex-rebel Renamo, which want to maintain a political duopoly.
Political parties need to garner a minimum of five percent of votes cast nationally in legislative elections to secure seats in Mozambique’s parliament, according to laws approved by the two main parties in 1992.
”This is only aimed at suffocating smaller parties and that is not democracy,” said Yacub Sibindy, leader of the Mozambique Independent Party (Pimo).
”We are pressing for a reduction of the threshold from five percent to two or even one percent,” Sibindy said, adding that the Mozambique National Resistance (Renamo) was scared of small opposition parties.
”Renamo wants this barrier in order to keep smaller parties away from it,” said Sibindy.
In the last elections in December 1999, won by President Joaquim Chissano’s Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), Renamo took part as a multi-party coalition, taking 117 seats to Frelimo?s 133.
Sibindy said that in an effort to guarantee its interests are maintained, Renamo convinced 10 small parties to join forces with it, but ultimately it is Renamo which dominates the coalition and gives orders.
However, Lutero Simango, of the National Convention Party (PCN) argues that simply reducing the five percent threshold would not help solve the problem but encourage the proliferation of more political parties in the country.
”We would find a political party in every corner of the country”, Simango said.
There are currently more than 10 Mozambican opposition parties without representation in parliament. – Sapa