The Commander General of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM), Bernardino Rafael, said on Monday in Maputo that any association that represents the corporation and uses its symbols is illegal, referring to the Mozambican Association for the Defense of the Rights of Active, Inactive and Pensioner Police Officers (AMOPAIP).

During his speech marking the 45th day of the election campaign, Bernardino Rafael said that the PRM does not organize itself into associations, not least because "the Security Defence Forces are constitutionally prohibited from organizing themselves into associations. That association does not represent the police... wearing police badges is illegal."

Meanwhile, the President of AMOPAIP said that the institution is recognized by the Ministry of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs, and has existed for 16 years, with more than 13,000 members.

Nazário Muanambane said that the association had been taken by surprise by Bernardino Rafael's pronouncements.

"We don't know to what extent the General Commander wanted to refer to the matter... he probably has some debt over his interpretation," he said, pointing out that AMOPAIP, despite being made up of police officers, was not created and is distinct from the police as an institution.

"It can't be seen as an encumbrance or disturbance. But we also understand that we are dealing with a person. Bernardino Rafael is a human being like anyone else. He may probably have said this out of a certain interest or emotion. But as an association, [AMOPAIP] is legally recognized," he noted, noting that it has been working with the general command of the police and the Ministry of the Interior since its creation in 2009.