Mozambican government denies appointment of provisional Renamo governors

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Mozambican government denies appointment of provisional Renamo governors

10:12 CAT | 18 Aug 2016

DW (File photo) / A view of Maputo

José Manteigas, head of the Joint Commission Renamo delegation, claimed at a press conference on Wednesday that the Mozambique government and opposition party delegations had agreed to find ways for the provisional appointment of Renamo governors in the six provinces where it claims to have won the 2104 elections. This claim has however been contradicted by the head of the government delegation, Jacinto Veloso.

Veloso summoned the press a few hours later to announce that “there is still no agreement” on Renamo’s demand to govern the provinces. He acknowledged that some understandings had been reached, but added that none of the four points under discussion would be implemented in isolation.

Veloso said that it would first be necessary to complete the discussion of the four points and then the understandings would have to be submitted to President Filipe Nyusi and the Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama.

Previously, Jose Manteigas, speaking on behalf of both parties, had said that “legal mechanisms [to enable the appointment of provincial governors] should be found as soon as possible”.

“The issue should be discussed within the framework of national unity and the process of administrative decentralisation, giving greater decision-making powers to local state organs, including financial resources and a decentralised form of elections and appointment of provincial governors,” Manteigas said.

A sub-committee has been set up to prepare a legislative package to come into force before the next elections. The material must be completed before the end of November, and then be submitted to parliament.

According to Manteigas, the legislative package will cover the revision of the Mozambican constitution, the law of the state organs and their regulations, the law of the provincial assemblies and the organisation of the bases of law and functioning of public administration. In addition, the package will consider the approval of the law of the provincial governing bodies and the law of provincial finances, and will review the municipalisation model of all districts.

Dialogue

Negotiations between the government and Renamo are taking place after international mediators held separate meetings with the delegations recently to develop their positions and build consensus.

The Joint Commission will deliberate in the coming days on the cessation of hostilities and the date of the mediators’ visit to Gorongosa, where Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama is currently residing.

The last few weeks have been marked by an escalation of armed attacks attributed to the largest opposition party, focusing on police stations, district government facilities, health centres and columns of civilian vehicles. In turn, government forces are accused of intensifying the siege of Gorongosa.

Source: Deutsche Welle