Demobilised soldiers demand better pensions

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Demobilised soldiers demand better pensions

1:48 CAT | 20 Feb 2019

Photo: Folha de Maputo

Mozambique’s demobilised soldiers are demanding an increase in their pensions, and have threatened to call a mass demonstration if the government does not comply.

The Ministry of Combatants acknowledges that the pensioners’ demand is fair, but says that it has no money for increases at the moment.

The group presenting the demand represents the approximately 69,000 national combatants who say they dedicated 16 years of their lives to the war between the government and Renamo forces.

They consider the amount they receive in return for their service an injustice, being well below the minimum wage and serving for practically nothing given today’s high cost of living.

The combatants say they have requested meetings with the minister overseeing the sector to raise their concerns, but he has been unwilling. Moreover, they say that while some of them are well-treated, others are marginalised – all the more reason for a general demonstration.

In response, the Ministry of Combatants acknowledges the fairness of the claim, but says that at the moment it does not have the money to increase their pensions.

The combatants ministry appealed for calm, and promised to move ahead with the increases after addressing the matter of the more than 2,000 combatants who are still not receiving pensions.

Source: Folha de Maputo