The Renamo party said today in Maputo that it does not recognize the results of the local elections proclaimed by the Constitutional Council (CC) and called on the population to demonstrate.

Renamo's president, Ossufo Momade, told a press conference today that the results announced yesterday by the CC, which gave victory to Frelimo in 56 municipalities, are a disgrace to democracy and encouraged the population to take to the streets to demonstrate.

"How did the Constitutional Council hand down a ruling that Frelimo won in Maputo, when it didn't win in Maputo and you all know that," said Ossufo Momade.

Renamo's top leader also accused the CC of going against the will of the people and allying itself with the ruling party by ignoring all the facts that prove electoral fraud.

He also questioned the fact that the court decision on the local elections did not mention the alleged crimes committed by police officers and members of electoral bodies, but merely referred to "crimes committed by some citizens".

He said that Renamo will appeal to various international bodies to ensure that the "electoral truth" is restored, arguing that "there can't be one democracy for Mozambique and another for the European Union".

Momade went further and accused the Frelimo party of intimidating the diplomatic corps accredited in the country and international organizations not to express their positions on the electoral fraud of 11 October.