Mozambique: Renamo disowns armed attacks in Manica and Sofala – AIM report

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Mozambique: Renamo disowns armed attacks in Manica and Sofala – AIM report

9:37 CAT | 24 Jun 2020

Photo: Renamo Cidade de Maputo / Facebook

Ossufo Momade, leader of Mozambique’s main opposition party, Renamo, on Tuesday condemned the armed attacks in the central provinces of Manica and Sofala, and insisted that they have nothing to do with Renamo.

Giving what was billed as “a statement to the nation” to mark the anniversary of Mozambican independence (which will be celebrated on Thursday), Momade insisted that those responsible for the attacks “are acting on their own account, outside of the philosophy and guidelines of the Renamo Party. We reaffirm that it is not our style to have two faces”.

The attacks are generally regarded as the work of the dissident “Renamo Military Junta”, a faction which regards Momade as “a traitor”, and does not accept the peace agreement he signed with President Flipe Nyusi in August 2019.

Momade said “the citizens who carry out these attacks do not receive orders from Renamo to do so, they do not receive any logistics from our General Staff, and they do not take any instructions from any Renamo party body”.

He urged the members of the Military Junta to end their attacks “which are endangering peace and social stability”.

Renamo, he added, “loves its people and wants to see the country without war”, and so it was determined to conclude successfully the demobilisation and disarming of the Renamo militia, and the reintegration into society of its members.

He wanted to see acceptance in society of the former gunmen “without any discrimination or hostile attitude because they were members of the Renamo forces. National reconciliation will only be effective insofar as those who are reintegrated feel that they are Mozambicans with the same rights and freedoms as other citizens”.

As for the fight against terrorists inspired by Islamic fundamentalism in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, Momade declared “there is no doubt that we are at war. Our opinion is that the defence and security forces should improve their military strategy so as to re-establish security among the population, and not waste time looking for somebody to blame”.

The government forces, Momade continues, “should be active and vigilant at all times, within universally accepted standards, and should give particular value to warning signs, which were ignored in 2017 when the insurgency began”.

The government should “seek the necessary support before it is too late”, he said, but it should do so in line with the Mozambican constitutions. Momade thought it “questionable” to use foreign forces (presumably referring to Russian and South African mercenaries) “without observing these constitutional dictates”.

Source: AIM