Over 3,400 former Renamo fighters receiving pensions

Maputo, 9 Jun (AIM) – Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Friday declared that so far over 3,400 former guerrilla fighters from Renamo are now receiving pensions.

At a ceremony at Munguine in Manhica district, about 80 kilometres north of Maputo, which marked the end of several basic military training courses, Nyusi said that, under the DDR (Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration) programme, registration campaigns were undertaken as a result of which, 4,215 former Renamo fighters applied for pensions.

The DDR was part of the 2019 peace agreement signed by Nyusi and Renamo leader Ossufo Momade, which brought hostilities to an end, and marked the disbanding of the Renamo militia.

The registration campaigns, Nyusi said, took place in Sofala, Manica, Tete, Zambézia, Nampula, Niassa and Cabo Delgado provinces. Since 5,200 Renamo fighters were demobilized under the DDR, but only 4,215 requests for pensions have been received, almost 900 former guerrillas have yet to apply.

Of the fighters who have applied, pensions have been fixed in 3,989 cases, and more than 3,400 are receiving their pensions. Nyusi said he was providing this information publicly to prevent “those who are living well” from spreading rumours.

At the Munguine ceremony, where around 1,000 soldiers took an oath to the Mozambican flag, Nyusi demanded more commitment from the troops, pointing out that soldiers do not have the right to choose which missions they will accept.

He challenged the newly trained troops to take a determined stand against challenges such as terrorism.

“We are here”, he said, “because we want the foundations of the Mozambican Armed Forces (FADM), who are the privates graduating today to be firm and unshakeable before threats such as terrorism, the armed aggression against our country, and every type of crime”.

“We have come here to prepare the first combat of these young people”, he continued. “This is an operation that must not fail, since the first combat will be a reference point throughout your professional life”.

“We are here because we value privates as a class, without which we will never succeed in forming modern, professional, patriotic and highly disciplined armed forces, committed to the defence of the fatherland”.

(AIM)

Pf/ (365)