The Judicial Court of Nampula Province has banned Paulo Vahanle from holding office for a period of four months. The Nampula mayor is accused by the court of inciting collective disobedience in the context of protests against the municipal election results.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Vahanle called the decision political persecution and promised to appeal the sentence.

The mayor still doesn't understand why his activities have been suspended: "We're not happy about it, because we know it's a political problem," he told reporters.

"The most criminal, those who should be held accountable for the crimes, should be the National Electoral Commission, the Police of the Republic of Mozambique, the National Criminal Investigation Service, the courts, because these machines are covering up the complaints of the people," he added, quoted by DW.

Vahanle believes that the court's decision is a trick and aims to make room for Frelimo's frontrunner to take office next January.