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Maputo, 13 Dec (AIM) – Ossufo Momade, leader of Mozambique’s main opposition party Renamo, on Monday accused the government of not keeping its side of the peace agreement he had signed with President Filipe Nyusi in August 2019.
Speaking in Maputo at the opening of a session of the Renamo National Council, Momade accused Nyusi of systematically committing illegalities – he was thus in no condition to demand that anyone else comply with the law, or respect the country’s institutions.
As examples of supposedly “deviant behaviour”, he cited the “secret agreements” with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda under which Rwandan forces are participating in the fight against islamist terrorism in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.
Yet before the arrival of the Rwandans, Renamo had attacked the government precisely because it had not called for foreign support in the battle against the jihadists.
Momade also blamed the government for organized crime, claiming that the wave of kidnappings in Mozambican cities is organised by members of the defence and security forces, including members of the Presidential Guard.
The Renamo leader claimed that his party had honoured all its commitments under the 2019 peace agreement. Under the Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) of former members of the Renamo militia, “we have already demobilized 4,001 of our 5,254 fighters”. This is 76 per cent of the former guerrillas.
Yet only 46 of these men had been recruited into the Mozambican police force. Ten Renamo officers had been recruited for the General Command of the police – but Momade complained that to date none of them had been given specific tasks. Furthermore, the Renamo demobilized are not receiving the pensions to which they are entitled.
Nonetheless, Renamo has now submitted a list of a further 100 officers who should be incorporated into the defence and security forces.
Despite what he regarded as the government’s failure to implement the 2019 agreement, Momade pledged that Renamo will not resort to force to press its claims. He said the major challenge remains the maintenance of peace and promotion of national reconciliation, which he regarded as essential prerequisites for the development of the country.
“The construction of peace and national reconciliation is a mission for everybody”, said Momade, “and so it is imperative to involve all actors of society, including the religious denominations, which are inspiring sources of peace and love for one’s neighbour”.
Later in the day the National Council elected a new Renamo General Secretary, to replace Andre Majibire, who was dismissed in September without explanation. The new General Secretary is Clementina Bomba, who is deputy head of the Renamo parliamentary group, and a former Renamo political delegate for Maputo province.
(AIM)
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