Maputo, 17 May (AIM) – Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Tuesday received in Maputo Ossufo Momade, leader of the main opposition party, Renamo, and the two men agreed that all is ready to conclude the Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) of members of the Renamo militia.
A statement from Nyusi’s office said the Tuesday meeting was part of the regular consultations held about progress in the DDR.
“During the meeting it was noted that the logistical and material conditions have been established for concluding the DDR process”, said the statement. After the conclusion of the demobilization, “the payment of pensions will begin under the terms of the decree that fixes the social security benefits for those demobilised under the Agreement on Peace and National Reconciliation”.
(This is a reference to the agreement signed by Nyusi and Momade in August 2019).
The payment of pensions has been a key point of disagreement between the government and Renamo, and Renamo has used it as an excuse for not dismantling its final military base, in the central district of Gorongosa.
The statement follows up the government’s recent approval of paying pensions to members of what is delicately referred to as Renamo’s “residual force” and their descendants.
Even though the former Renamo guerrillas never paid any social security contributions, they will enjoy social security benefits comparable to that attributed to workers who paid towards their pensions for all their working lives.
Nyusi and Momade also discussed the current voter registration ahead of the municipal elections scheduled for 11 October, and the conclusions of the report from the Commission set up to reflect on the viability of holding elections for district assemblies in 2024.
The Commission (known by the acronym CRED) recommended postponing the district elections. Renamo, however, has insisted that the elections must go ahead.
According to the statement from the President’s office, the two men considered the need to set up an expanded working commission which will continue to reflect on the powers of the bodies of decentralised governance.
(AIM)
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