Mozambique: Beira Evictions Complete - Council Working Under Trees

The Sofala Provincial Court on Friday completed the eviction of Beira City Council from 14 buildings claimed by Mozambique's ruling Frelimo Party.

This time, unlike the previous eviction attempt in July, the Council and its mayor, Daviz Simango, advised against any resistance, for fear that it might lead to bloodshed. In July Simango's supporters had occupied the buildings, thus postponing the evictions by four months.

The buildings were used by neighbourhood secretariats, the lowest rung in the municipal administration. But when the opposition won the municipal elections in Beira in 2003, and Simango became mayor, Frelimo said that it owned the buildings, and the previous City Council had paid Frelimo rent.

Simango disputed the ownership of the houses, and when the Provincial Court ruled in favour of Frelimo, the City Council appealed to the Supreme Court. There is still no sign of any ruling from the Supreme Court, but the Provincial Court pushed ahead with the evictions anyway.

Simango's supporters say that at least one of the houses was built from scratch by the City Council, and even bears a plaque describing it as "Municipal Property".

The Council declared that it will continue to offer municipal services to Beira citizens, underneath trees if necessary. And that is precisely what happened on Friday - as Council staff were evicted from the last of the buildings, they took their furniture and files with them, as well as the national and municipal flags, and set up improvised offices in the shade of trees a few metres away.

That, however, is a temporary solution. At a rally on Saturday, in the outlying suburb of Munhava, Simango urged that Beira citizens collaborate voluntarily in building new neighbourhood secretariats. The Council, he said, since it had no funds to pay contractors, would construct new buildings itself, with the help of the people of the city.

According to a report on the rally in Monday's issue of the newsheet "Canal de Mocambique", Simango called Frelimo "thieves" who had "damaged the interest of the majority of citizens who have been deprived of administrative services".

"Thieves never have any shame, even when caught in possession of things that don't belong to them", he said. "At heart, they know that the neighbourhood secretariats don't belong to them. What belongs to the people will one day return to the hands of the people".

Simango said that, after he won the 2003 election, the outgoing Frelimo mayor, Chivavice Muchangage, handed over to the Council the buildings that are now disputed. They were also on the list of municipal property that Muchangage delivered to Simango. But before long, the tune changed and Frelimo claimed the buildings as its own.

Simango also accused Frelimo of removing everything it could from the Council offices before he took office, forcing the Council to buy new computers and new furniture.

"It hurt Frelimo to lose Beira, and it still hurts them", he said. "They said we had no capacity, but we're still here. We purchased garbage trucks, and today we even have women driving them".

He claimed Frelimo had "is not happy until it sees blood", and so the Council had decided to avoid clashes that might result in bloodshed.

Simango accused the Provincial Court of "drawing up a ruling at the request of their bosses, but even knowing that this prejudiced the state, which the Court does not defend, we complied with the ruling. We respect the country's democratic institutions and the Constitution, unlike those who have dirty hands and are used to killing. One day they will be judged for their atrocious acts".

Source: Allafrica - 2010.11.22