INTERVIEW: "There is a tendency for politicians in Cape Verde to perpetuate themselves in power" – sociologist Henrique Varela

In an interview with Inforpress, the social activist, to support his claims, took the case of many mayors who are going to try for a third or four terms in the 2024 municipal elections, in fact, he noted that many have already expressed such an intention.

“In Cape Verde there is also this tendency for politicians to perpetuate themselves in power, because when they come to power what they want in such a way that they end up wanting to perpetuate themselves in office, and they gain taste and desire, and they always manifest their willingness to remain [in office]”, noted the professor of Sociology at Liceu Amílcar Cabral de Assomada, Santa Catarina.

However, he noted that contrary to many African countries where "constitutional manoeuvres", coups d'état and successions are used without passing through the electoral scrutiny, in Cape Verde the politicians, and in this particular the mayors use the popularity and work done over the four years of office to try to stay in office.

As he said, taking into account that in Cape Verde there is only a two-year term limit for the President of the Republic, these mayors can “eternalize” in office.

In the case of a mayor who serves the first four-year term, in his opinion, this is "naturally" a candidate for his own succession, maintaining that a four-year term "is not enough to fulfill all the promises and commitments" electoral.

“The four-year mandate is to put the house in order and four more years to actually work, and doing this job for another four years they feel the need to continue this work, hence the fate of many mayors having several terms on their backs ”, he reinforced.

Asked if the time has not come for the country to have a law that limits the mandates of the mayor and other political positions to three consecutive years, Henrique Varela replied in these terms: “That is not possible, because it is through voting. Since the subject is being voted on he continues, because this is now telling the people not to vote for these candidates. The candidate is free to run and the people are also free to accept or reject the candidate presented at the polls”.

“Many [chamber presidents] end up making a career in politics, because having no term limit, and gaining a certain popularity, they will always be re-elected. And if the subject is being elected and re-elected, he will not want to leave [the position], and he will want to continue”, he continued.

In his opinion, it is up to voters to reject those candidates who want to remain in power at the polls, not least because, he recalled, there is no law that prevents a person from running for office.

“The subject is free to present a candidacy, but the voter is also free to accept or reject that candidacy. By rejecting the candidacy, you stop staying in power for so long”, insisted sociologist Henrique Varela.

As Inforpress found, most mayors have already expressed their willingness to continue to lead the destinies of their respective municipalities.