Africa-Press – Mozambique. Swindlers have set up a fraudulent WhatsApp channel, using the name of Mozambique’s former presidential candidate, Venancio Mondlane, apparently in an attempt to trick supporters of Mondlane into parting with their money.
The fake channel calls itself “VM7 Midia Channel”, which could easily be confused with Mondlane’s genuine WhatsApp channel, simply named “VM7 Channel”.
On his Facebook page, Mondlane denounced the fake channel’s use of his name and image. “This channel is spreading lying and manipulative messages”, he said, such as one claiming that supporters of Mondlane in Portugal need financial support to purchase Internet access. The messages ask for transfers of money via the Mozambican mobile wallets e-Mola and M-pesa.
Mondlane stressed that his “VM7 Movement” does not recognise this channel which is “exploiting the name of a just struggle to extort money from the people”.
He urged his supporters not to send money to any channel that has not been verified. “The name of VM7 will not be used as bait for swindlers”, he declared. “The people’s struggle cannot be kidnapped by opportunists”.
Meanwhile, Mondlane has launched his own commercial “VM7” brand. The launch ceremony was held, not in Mozambique, but in Lisbon. VM7 is described as “a brand of clothing and accessories inspired in the vision and courage of Venancio Mondlane”. Each item on sale, Mondlane’s advert says, “expresses the values of leadership, resistance and Mozambican pride”.
This initial advert does not say how much the clothes will cost, or where they come from. He clearly expects to sell the goods online. VM is not merely Mondlane’s initials, but also stands for “Ventos de Mudanca” (“Winds of Change”).
Mondlane is currently on a visit to Portugal. Unlike his visit to this country last year, where the only party that would meet him was the ultra-right Chega, this time he was granted an audience by the Social-Democratic Party (PSD), which is the main force in the right-wing Democratic Alliance coalition which is currently governing Portugal. The PSD’s name is deceptive, since it has nothing to do with social democracy.
On Tuesday, a PSD delegation led by its general secretary, Hugo Soares, received Mondlane at the party’s Lisbon headquarters. Mondlane presented Soares with a report on violations of human rights in Mozambique.
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