Tuesday, July 29, 2014

President Mugabe Backs FRELIMO
President Mugabe speaks to Frelimo presidential candidate Cde Jacinto
Filipe Nyusi, while Frelimo general secretary Cde Fernando Francisco
Faustino (centre) and members of the delegation look on during a
courtesy call at State House in Harare on July 28, 2014.
— (Picture by Munyaradzi Chamalimba)
July 29, 2014
Herald Reporter

President Mugabe yesterday said Zanu-PF supports Mozambique’s ruling party, Frelimo’s presidential candidate Mr Jacinto Filipe Nyusi in that country’s elections pencilled for October 15.The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces expressed confidence that Frelimo would romp to victory, the same way Zanu-PF did in last year’s July 31 harmonised elections.

He said this at State House after holding an hour long meeting with Mr Nyusi, who had paid a courtesy call on him.

“Zanu-PF and Frelimo are one, so their candidate is our candidate,” said President Mugabe. “We will also support them. We wish him well. We wish him success.”

“We will not say anything because we know that people will always chose those who have their interest at heart. You have Renamo there which is like MDC and you know what happened last year on July 31. That is what is going to happen on 15 October (in Mozambique’s election). We say victory is certain. Aluta continua.”

Mr Nyusi said his objective would be to improve the bilateral relations that exist between Harare and Maputo.

“My objective will be to improve the relationship between Zanu-PF and Frelimo, but now I am running for election as President for the Republic of Mozambique,” he said. “It means improving our relationship between Zimbabwe and Mozambique, mainly in the economic area.”

Mr Nyusi said his discussions with President Mugabe centred on how to explore areas of mutual interest and how each country could benefit from each other.

“Our discussion was around how to improve our relationship mainly in the economic area,” he said. “And also your experience in agriculture, how to manage the mineral resources because we are now running out (of resources) in Mozambique. We need to do more than political relationships.”

Frelimo elected the 55-year-old Mr Nyusi, the country’s Defence Minister, as its presidential candidate in March this year.

Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, who took over from Mr Joaquim Chissano in January 2005 is due to step down this year after two terms, the maximum allowed by the constitution.

Frelimo has been the ruling party in Mozambique since independence in 1975.

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