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Pushing for change: Mozambican Democratic Movement's Daviz Simango PHOTO: AFP

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MAPUTO - When kidnappers seized a 17-year-old Muslim girl in Maputo last month, Muslims reacted with outrage but their cries for firm government action against a crime wave targeting the community fell on deaf ears.

At least they did until a prominent elder threatened a "reorientation" of the Muslim vote and its sizeable financial clout from the ruling Frelimo party to the Mozambican Democratic Movement (MDM), a small but fast-growing opposition outfit.

The meeting with President Armando Guebuza two days later is the latest sign of the waves MDM is creating.

The girl was rescued this week, though no details of the operation have emerged.

Running on a slogan of "Mozambique for all", 48-year-old MDM founder Daviz Simango is building on his base as mayor of Beira by tapping into popular anger that a flood of mining and energy investment is failing to make its way to millions mired in poverty.

Simango is also emerging as the champion of young, educated Mozambicans who face scant chances of getting a job unless they have friends at the top of Frelimo.

Foreign mining mega-deals are typically shrouded in official secrecy.

"These contracts must not be signed to the detriment of the national interest. These contracts are being drafted without transparency, therefore these contracts do not serve Mozambicans," Simango says.

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Sat May 18 19:48:51 SAST 2013 ::

Sep 21, 2012

Mzabalazo

That sounds too familiar
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Sep 21, 2012

LeparaThePresident

Its a cut and paste intention, never works,
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Sep 21, 2012

Mzabalazo

Tenders given to the Flerimo connected, that is quite familiar
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Sep 21, 2012

skwamasamabele

If there's one country that needs prosperity, its Mozambique
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Sep 25, 2012

MJOKA

to all amashangane they must go back now and vote for that new party
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Sep 25, 2012

Sgandy

All Liberation movements are clueless and end up costing countries the hard eraned freedom...Frelimo,ZANUPF and ANC same modus operandi.
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Sep 25, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

"Mozambique for all" Realy now??? Since when???? When you gain power we all know that it will be your time to eat!!!!
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Sep 25, 2012

KingOfHearts

Pity Mozambique is a weak state.This dude wont do much to change the country.And he should ask himself if people are following him because they believe his ideology or merely because they are voting against FRILIMO...ask RENAMO the difference between the two they know it quiet well.
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