responsible for the low repayment rate, as beneficiaries may see it as reward for party membership. 249. The CRM established that the policy of social inclusion is also being systematically undermined through partisan recruitment policies in the public sector. Applicants for jobs in public institutions who show that they belong to FRELIMO are given preference to the disadvantage of non-members. FRELIMO members also enjoy discriminatory preferment and postings in the public service, all of which serves to alienate non-members and incite their resentment. 250. The conflation of the ruling party into the state, as described in Box 3.4, prejudices citizens’ freedom of association and their choice of political affiliation, as guaranteed by the Constitution. The systemic lack of distinction between the boundaries of the state, government and party spells a grave hazard to the health of multiparty democracy in either of two ways. On the one hand, it may put pressure on all those in opposition to renounce membership of their parties in order to enjoy equal opportunities in the public service or, on the other hand, it may rather lead to the surrender of those being discriminated against, creating in them resentment towards, and alienation from, the state. Neither of these outcomes is conducive to the sustenance of multiparty democracy. Box 3.4: Conflation of Party into State During all interactions with stakeholders, except in Gaza province, the CRM was inundated with reports that FRELIMO cells or units exist in all public institutions, where they operate with official sanction. Indeed, members are permitted to suspend work in order to attend party meetings when these are scheduled during working hours. They are allowed to wear party T-shirts and other paraphernalia to their places of work. Compulsory deductions are made from workers’ salaries for the benefit of FRELIMO when authorised by the relevant party organs. Other political parties enjoy no such privileges. The CRM was informed that municipal authorities controlled by other political parties also discriminate in recruitment and preferment of public servants in favour of their party members. It follows logically that access to service by the public could also depend on whether the citizen-client identifies with the party supported by the public servant providing the service. For democracy to thrive for all Mozambicans, there is a need for a clear distinction between state and party. 251. Economic and social discrimination and exclusion combine to create an aggrieved population among non-FRELIMO members. This defies the letter and spirit of the GPA. The exclusion of non-FRELIMO members means that they are marginalised from participating in, and taking advantage of, economic and other opportunities ordinarily available to citizens. Membership of FRELIMO seems to be the only effective remedy for enjoying access to opportunities created by government policies and to the rights guaranteed by the Constitution. In addition, non-FRELIMO members are being subjected to undue and unfair pressure, which alienates them from the state and undermines com103