Daviz Simango distrusts the motives behind current political dialogue

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Daviz Simango distrusts the motives behind current political dialogue

1:18 CAT | 29 Aug 2017

File photo / Daviz Simango

The leader of the Democratic Movement of Mozambique, Daviz Simango, yesterday expressed concern about the current stage of the ongoing peace dialogue in the country, O País reports.

Simango suspects that the government and Renamo may be seeking a compromise only in order to accommodate the holding of the next election, which may itself undermine the security of Mozambicans.

“For example, the introduction of provincial elections implies changes in our laws. Changing the law means a debate in the Assembly of the Republic and, for this, the organ has to listen to the Mozambicans. The elections for 2019 have to be convened for April next year, according to the law, but so far the Assembly of the Republic has not yet received any documents regarding the governors’ elections,” he said.

“Everything will eventually be done on the margin of the law, to accommodate the political interests of the moment,” he added, “and after the election, those who feel aggrieved will resort to force of arms and we will return to instability.”

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Simango made a promise: “We will inclusively discuss our democracy and ensure the construction of an effective peace.” He urged working towards an effective peace based on democracy and called for the fulfilment of the law and not of political agendas.

August 28 is considered a “Day of Revolution” within the MDM, because it was on that date in 2008 that the ties between Daviz Simango and Renamo were broken. The minutiae of the split are not known, but as a consequence Renamo backed Manuel Pereira in Beira’s municipal elections, to Simango’s detriment.

Thousands of Renamo members rejected the decision and supported Simango’s independent candidacy. The following year, he founded the MDM.

To mark the date, party members marched through the streets of Beira yesterday, passing through the Pioneers neighbourhood where some of Simango supporters were shot by police summoned by Renamo to disperse them.

The celebration was attended by senior members of the MDM from other parts of the country, specifically the mayor of Quelimane and the president of the party’s Women’s League.

Source: O País