Renamo, the main opposition party in the country, and the MDM, the third largest party, assured this Wednesday that they will fight "together to save democracy", insisting that the local elections on the 11th were the "height" of electoral fraud.

At a press conference, alongside the top leader of the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), after the two politicians met in Maputo, Ossufo Momade, the Renamo leader began by explaining that "we invited President Lutero [Simango, leader of the Democratic Movement of Mozambique] so that we can be together in this fight to save democracy in Mozambique".

"Renamo and the MDM must move forward together to prevent the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) from annihilating the democracy that has cost Mozambicans many lives," he continued.

Cited by Lusa, Ossufo Momade accused Frelimo of having used the Mozambique Republic Police (PRM) as an "armed arm" of the ruling party, by ordering police officers to allegedly stuff and transport ballot boxes, expelling political party delegates from polling stations and misusing tear gas to disperse peaceful demonstrators.

Renamo, he continued, also has information that teachers and directors of electoral bodies were bribed to rig the election results.

Meanwhile, Ossufo Momade reiterated the commitment of the main opposition party not to take up arms again as an instrument of political struggle, stressing that Renamo will contest the election results through demonstrations in the cities.

For his part, the president of the MDM said that he had made a commitment with the Renamo leader to collectively defend democracy, maintaining that the results of the local elections "were manipulated".

Renamo, he continued, also has information that teachers and directors of electoral bodies were bribed to rig the election results.

Ossufo Momade reiterated the commitment of the main opposition party not to take up arms again as an instrument of political struggle, stressing that Renamo will contest the election results through demonstrations in the cities.

The MDM president said that he had made a commitment with the Renamo leader to collectively defend democracy, maintaining that the results of the local elections "were manipulated".