“30 Days Hath March,” Says Dhlakama – Reiterates 6-Provinces Plan and Admits to Nagi Ambushes

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“30 Days Hath March,” Says Dhlakama – Reiterates 6-Provinces Plan and Admits to Nagi Ambushes

4:17 CAT | 15 Mar 2016

In File Club of Mozambique / Afonso Dhlakama

Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama reiterated on Monday in a Deutsche Welle interview cited by Folho de Maputo that Renamo would take over Mozambique’s six northern provinces in March and admitted responsibility for the recent N1 Nagi bus ambushes.

Asked why Renamo had not by March 14 fulfilled its promise to take over the provinces where it claims to have won electoral victory in 2014, Afonso Dhlakama explained: “No, Renamo did not mention the day, we said that as of March it will start its governance. Today is Monday (March 14). There are still sixteen days to the end of the month. Let’s start this governance gradually. We will take power of various districts in each province and establish our administrations. We did not say that from March we will up sticks and expel Frelimo, no! In fact, March is this month. What I can assure you is that before the thirty-first of this month you will be hearing that Renamo has taken over many districts in the provinces where it obtained the majority. That was what we promised and we are not out of time.”

In the interview, Dhlakama did not hide the fact that he is aware of attacks perpetrated by his party’s armed men, but says that they only attack military targets. “There are many civilians dying. There were three ambushes: one in the Zove area, on the section between the Save River and Muxungué, the second in the area of Zonde, Catandica, on the section between Chimoio and Tete, and the last on the road between Gorongosa and the bridge over the Zambezi river in Caia, in the area of Nhamapanza and Nhamajaja,” Dhlakama said.

As for the attack on the Nagi buses that killed a driver, Dhlakama denies that any victims were civilian. “It was a passenger, my sister. This happened in Vonde a week ago. The Nagi bus was full of FADM going from Chimoio to Tete. You can use Radio Deutsche Welle – its sources will have the evidence. I do not have to cheat or advertise. The driver was hit, I know, it was on Saturday at nine. There was no member of the public among the victims. Thirty-nine FADM died. It is possible that one or another member of the public dies, we are not making holy war – it is possible that one (civillian) gets caught up, we have to admit that, yes. But saying that Renamo is attacking civilians – no, because that would be a serious problem. Renamo only survives thanks to the support of the population.”

Source: Folha de Maputo