Today, the Center for Public Integrity (CIP) filed a precautionary measure to prevent the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, from being elected President of the Frelimo party and thereby violating the Constitution of the Republic, which he swore to respect.

The document filed with the Maputo City Judicial Court aims to prevent the figure of PR from exercising private functions, such as heading a political party, based on the rule laid down in article 148 of the Constitution of the Republic. The directive states that "The President of the Republic may not, except in the cases expressly provided for in the Constitution of the Republic, exercise any other function public and, under no circumstances, perform any private functions".

According to an announcement by the party's spokesperson, Ludimila Maguni, without a shadow of a doubt, Chapo will be appointed President of Frelimo, replacing Filipe Nyusi. Daniel Chapo is the current Secretary of the party and the only candidate for the top job in the political formation. Nyusi, during his two terms in office, was both President of Mozambique and of Frelimo.

Chapo's "election" as president of Frelimo is expected to take place on Friday 14th, during the III Ordinary Session.

But in addition to submitting the document, CIP "urged the Attorney General's Office to order the Frelimo party to conform to the law. The CIP also requested, through letters to Joaquim Chissano and Armando Guebuza, honorary presidents and therefore guarantors of the moral and political magistracy in the Frelimo Party, that they urge Chapo not to violate the Constitution that he has sworn to respect."

It should be noted that Chissano and Guebuza also held both positions during their terms in office.

For CIP, if Chapo is elected president of the party, the decisions of the President of the Republic will be compromised in terms of fairness, impartiality and transparency, putting party interests above national interests, which could aggravate the capture of the state by the party.