One of the MPs reported missing by PODEMOS showed up this Thursday (27) at the Assembly of the Republic with the aim of being sworn in, but was prevented and told to wait with the assurance that he will be contacted in due course to go to the People's House after his missive has been duly examined.

He is António Faruma, 25 years old. According to a Evidence newspaperThe Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique (PODEMOS), a newcomer to parliament, claimed that two of its MPs did not attend the swearing-in ceremony because they were missing, allegedly victims of repression during demonstrations contesting the election results.

However, António Faruma accuses the party's secretary-general, Sebastião Mussanhane, and his friend Xavier José, who is also a member of parliament, of orchestrating the scheme. "I didn't take office because there was bad faith on my part. My friend Xavier, who is a member of PODEMOS, received information from the secretary-general of the PODEMOS party that he couldn't be there on the day of the inauguration because I didn't campaign," Faruma said.

The "now disappeared" MP also said that his secretary's justification wasn't fair because there are also party members who weren't involved in the 2024 election campaign but were nevertheless sworn in as members of the Assembly: "I don't know if that's the reason why there are some who didn't campaign for the party but are in Parliament."

"I followed everything and I was elected. That's my right. And I've already submitted the documents for the inauguration and they've said they'll call me but they haven't said the date," he added.

On Tuesday (25), the spokesman for the AR's Permanent Commission (PC), Manuel Ramessane, warned that at least two MPs from PODEMOS, the country's largest opposition party, could lose their seats in parliament if they are not sworn in before the end of the second ordinary session.

Ramessane explained that the body will refer the case to the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Human Rights and Legality (CACDHL), the first committee of the HR to examine the case.

(Photo DR)