Ahead of October’s local elections in Mozambique, the country’s police chief, Bernardino Rafael has come out to deny the accusations that officers made an attempt to assassinate politicians in the country.
This is coming after the mayor of Nampula province, Paulo Vahanle sparked reactions after he claimed that he survived an assassination attempt on the 22nd of August. Two weeks later, the mayor of Quelimane, Manuel de Araújo, also alleged he was targeted.
Africa Today News, New York reports that both men are members of Mozambique’s main opposition party, the ex-rebel Renamo movement, and both men claim that police agents carried out the attacks.
Speaking at the weekend, the police chief called the accusations false and baseless, saying that they were dreamt up by political parties to distract from their lacking manifestos.
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He also said such accusations could harm the leaders and parties themselves because the same police officers they accuse are also voters.
Mozambique’s police are duly prepared to guarantee order and security during the electoral process, he added.
In another report, the government of Mozambique has claimed that its armed forces have just killed the leader of a jihadist group linked to Islamic State which is notorious for wrecking havoc in the north of the country another parts of the continent.
The defence ministry pointed out that Bonomade Machude Omar – also known as Ibn Omar – had led the insurgents since the start of the conflict in 2017.
A statement which was made available to Africa Today News, New York said he was killed along with two other senior members.
There has been no independent confirmation of the deaths.
Recall that two years ago, the US state department designated Omar as a terrorist leader, blaming him for attacks in Cabo Delgado province, including the killing of dozens of people at a hotel in Palma.