US embassy cable - 04MAPUTO295

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000295 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
DEPT FOR AF/S 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM, PGOV, PINR, MZ, National Assembly 
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENT OPENS FOR 2004 
 
REF: A. A. 03 MAPUTO 1765 
 
B. B. 03 MAPUTO 1604 
C. C. MAPUTO 220 
D. D. MAPUTO 083 
 
1. (U) On March 1, the GRM opened its 10th session of 
Parliament, during which President Chissano is expected to 
make his final address to the body before stepping down at 
the end of the year. At the same time, the 2004 
presidential-hopefuls, Afonso Dhlakama (RENAMO) and Armando 
Guebuza (FRELIMO), took to the roads and held press 
conferences on hot Mozambican political topics: Dhlakama on 
the growing issue of trafficking in persons, Guebuza on the 
need to attract more foreign investment (REF A, B). These 
events signaled the start of the 2004 political year in 
Mozambique, one that will measure the maturity and success of 
Mozambican democracy, as the two major political parties will 
compete in national elections, a new president will be named, 
and a new GRM instated. Also noteworthy in 2004 was the 
appointment of a new Prime Minister, Luisa Diogo, current 
Minister of Planning and Finance, to the remainder of 
Chissano's term (managing both positions) (Ref C). 
 
2. (U) Eduardo Mulembwe, President of the Parliament, opened 
the session by announcing 22 agenda items that Parliament 
will discuss in 2004. Hot items include: question and answer 
sessions with the GRM, a report by the Social Action 
Committee on resettlement of flood victims, a report on the 
revision of the Constitution, revision of the Anti-Corruption 
Law (many deputies feel the law should be tougher), revision 
of the electoral law (more specifically, how it handles vote 
tabulation), and a draft law on tourism and 
telecommunications. 
 
3. (U) Parliamentary party leaders followed Mulembwe, taking 
the floor to discuss pertinent, sensitive issues such as the 
BCM fraud case, trafficking in persons/organs, economic 
growth and development, and revision of the 2004 electoral 
legislation. Manual Tome, Head of the FRELIMO parliamentary 
bench, applauded the success of FRELIMO in improving 
conditions for economic growth, citing the most recent GDP 
growth rate of 7% (2003). Tome heralded national expansion of 
the power grid, water supply, and the health and education 
systems as major FRELIMO successes. On the judicial front, 
Tome praised the BCM trial, calling the process "objective" 
and a booster to the credibility of the Mozambican judicial 
system (REF D). 
 
4.(SBU) Countering FRELIMO's self-praise, Ossufo Quitine, 
RENAMO parliamentary bench leader, remarked that the 
five-year mandate of the FRELIMO government was marked by 
"disastrous economic and financial decisions," resulting in 
the bankruptcy of many businesses and increased unemployment. 
RENAMO harshly criticized the handling of the BCM trial, 
calling its proceedings a "farce." Finally, RENAMO focused 
heavily on revision of the electoral law to include an extra 
layer of vote tabulation at the district level. RENAMO 
believes that a more thorough vote tabulation process will 
allow for greater transparency in the 2004 national elections 
(to be held sometime between October-December). (COMMENT: 
While this if feasible and potentially valuable for the sake 
of transparency, it will make the tabulation process more 
cumbersome and bureaucratic. RENAMO's request to add layers 
to the process continues the opposition party's theme of 
being cheated out of votes during the electoral process by 
FRELIMO during the transport of votes from the district to 
the provincial capitals. END COMMENT). 
 
5. (SBU) COMMENT: The current session is likely to be a 
noteworthy if not particularly productive one on the 
legislative front. President Chissano will give his last 
annual address to the Parliament, as will Attorney-General 
Joaquim Madeira. Madeira's speech is likely to feature a 
thorough cross-examination by RENAMO deputies on whether the 
Attorney General's Office will make the decision to prosecute 
Nympine Chissano, the President's son, implicated during last 
year's trial of those found guilty in the 2000 murder of the 
famous journalist Carlos Cardoso. President Chissano's last 
parliamentary session has several important issues to address 
in the 10 months ahead, with corruption and electoral law 
reform of significant interest. Because this is an election 
year, drastic policy changes or legal revisions are not 
expected. The biggest GRM issue to watch for will be how the 
2004 elections are conducted and how the outcome of those 
elections will change the political, economic, and social 
landscape of Mozambique. END COMMENT. 
LA LIME