Mozambique’s former first lady, Graça Machel, the widow of the country’s first president, Samora Machel, believes that peace and social cohesion are not built solely through formal negotiations or in the courts, but above all through everyday interactions between individuals and social groups.
According to Machel, who was speaking on Wednesday as chairperson of the Foundation for Community Development (FDC) – in a meeting that brought together dozens of women to reflect on their role in promoting peace and social cohesion in Mozambique – hunger and economic hardship are factors contributing to the conflicts.
“Peace-building efforts must therefore be linked to improving living conditions within communities. Through these groups, women are encouraged to work together, generate income, and support other community initiatives, thereby fostering greater solidarity and social cohesion”, she said.
Photo: FDC – Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade
Photo: FDC – Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade
Photo: Photo: FDC – Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade
Photo: FDC – Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade
Machel’s statement comes a day after the country’s Supreme Court issued a summons to Venancio Mondlane, former presidential candidate and leader of the National Alliance for a Free and Autonomous Mozambique (Anamola), for trial on five criminal charges related to post-election mass demonstrations.
The mass demonstration, called by Mondlane to protest against the fraudulent results of the general elections held in October 2024, started peacefully but then degenerated into rioting.
Mondlane is accused of having committed the following crimes: public apology for a crime, incitement to collective disobedience, public instigation to crime, instigation and incitement to terrorism. However, he rejects allegations of inciting violence during the mass demonstrations that followed the election, placing responsibility for the unrest on police violent actions.
According to the statistics collated by the NGO “Decide” Platform, the police shot dead about 400 people while 619 others were injured by gunshots during the five months of unrest that began on 21 October 2024.
The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGR) reported that it has initiated 31 legal proceedings against police officers in the context of the post-election unrest. However, to date, no police officer has been convicted.
Although Mondlane is easily the country’s main opposition figure – judging by the massive attendance at his rallies all over the country – he was not involved in the discussions that established the “Inclusive National Dialogue”, which is based on a document signed last year by President Daniel Chapo and nine political parties.
The document was submitted to the country’s parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, and then transformed into a law. Once Anamola had been set up, Mondlane expressed its interest in taking part of the committee organizing the “Inclusive National Dialogue” (COTE). Nonetheless, Anamola has not yet been given a seat on the COTE.
During the 2024 election campaign, Graça Machel denied reports that she supported Mondlane, following an interview with a little-known electronic portal called “Mozaline News”, which claimed she had urged Mozambicans to support him.
Source: AIM
