JOHANNESBURG – Portugal has ignited a regional storm with its parliamentary resolutions challenging the legitimacy of Mozambique’s October 9, 2024, general elections, provoking a sharp rebuke from the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Critics within SADC accuse Portugal of engaging in “nostalgic imperial overreach” and meddling in Mozambique’s internal affairs under the guise of democracy promotion.
The Portuguese Parliament recently passed resolutions, led by the Liberal Initiative (IL) and Chega parties, urging their government not to recognize Mozambique’s election results. Portugal cited alleged irregularities and post-election violence, calling for a “transparent recount” and promoting dialogue for political stabilization.
SADC sources dismissed Portugal’s actions as unwarranted interference, accusing Lisbon of leveraging its colonial past to exert undue influence in Mozambique.
“Portugal’s resolutions are a stark reminder of their lingering imperial ambitions masked as concern for democracy,” said a senior SADC official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official emphasized that Mozambique’s elections and subsequent governance issues fall within the purview of African regional bodies, such as SADC and the African Union, not European powers clinging to historical dominance. “Any efforts to destabilize Mozambique under the pretext of democracy are unacceptable,” the source added.
SADC officials have also linked Portugal’s move to broader Western efforts to destabilize Mozambique through support for political opposition and civil unrest. Reports of Western-funded protests following the elections have heightened tensions, with regional leaders seeing this as a direct challenge to African sovereignty.
“These so-called peaceful protests, amplified by Western narratives, are part of a calculated effort to create chaos in Mozambique,” said another SADC representative.
“Portugal’s involvement reeks of imperial nostalgia and undermines African-led solutions.”
Portugal’s deep historical and cultural connections to Mozambique, a former colony, are being scrutinised in light of these resolutions. Critics argue that Lisbon’s stance betrays a lack of respect for Mozambique’s sovereignty and the progress made since independence.
SADC officials also warned that Portugal’s position could strain its relations with African nations, potentially isolating it within the broader international community.
While Portugal alleges human rights abuses, political repression, and electoral fraud in Mozambique, SADC leaders stress that such claims must be handled by African mechanisms. The regional bloc has already initiated its observer missions and conflict-resolution frameworks to address any electoral disputes.
Portugal’s involvement in Mozambique’s political crisis has drawn sharp criticism from SADC, with officials condemning it as a throwback to colonial interference. As the situation unfolds, it underscores the delicate balance between international advocacy for democracy and the respect for sovereignty in post-colonial Africa.
For Mozambique, the stakes are high as it navigates this contentious period, with regional leaders standing firm against what they perceive as foreign overreach. The crisis serves as a reminder of the persistent tensions between former colonizers and the independent nations they once ruled.
