This week, the Secretary General and presidential candidate of the Frelimo party, Daniel Chapo, interrupted his vote-hunting work in Nampula province to head to South Africa.

Chapo met with the President of the Republic, Cyril Ramaphosa, on September 17. Verónica Macamo, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, accompanied the candidate for President of Mozambique.

The Director General of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights believes that Ramphosa's use of state relations between South Africa and Mozambique to serve the interests of the Frelimo party in the middle of the electoral period constitutes an abuse of power and that this directly interferes with the electoral process in Mozambique.

"It is with great indignation that we strongly condemn the unacceptable interference of the President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, in publicly expressing his support for the presidential candidate of the Frelimo party, Daniel Chapo, in the middle of the electoral campaign for the Mozambican elections, scheduled for October 9," criticized Adriano Nuvunga.

For the social activist, this contact of interests calls into question the legitimacy of the elections in Mozambique, undermining the spirit of cooperation and neutrality that should prevail in bilateral regional relations.

Nuvunga said that Ramaphosa's taking sides flouts the rules of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which promote impartiality and non-interference in the electoral processes of member states.

"It is unacceptable for the leader of a neighboring country to use his position to influence the electoral results of a sovereign nation. Such an attitude undermines confidence in democratic institutions and sets a dangerous precedent for democracy throughout SADC," he said.

In this regard, he calls on SADC and the African Union to take a stand on this issue.