Mozambique: Renamo says no pensions yet for 3,000 demobilised former guerrillas – DW

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Mozambique: Renamo says no pensions yet for 3,000 demobilised former guerrillas – DW

2:30 CAT | 16 Mar 2022

FILE PHOTO For illustration purposes only. Renamo demobilised guerrillas in Inhambane . [File photo: DW}

The process of Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) of Renamo former guerrillas has fallen stagnant, according to the secretary general of the largest opposition party. André Madjibire denounces the poor conditions of the demobilised.

The Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), the largest opposition party in Mozambique, has once again urged the government to fix the pensions of men already demobilised, and subsequently resume the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) process, which aims to cover 5,222 combatants.

At the moment, according to Renamo secretary general, André Madjibire, the demobilised and their families are living in terrible conditions with practically nothing to eat.

Renamosg.dw_ — *FILE PHOTO – André Madjibire, Renamo secretary general. ]File photo: DW]*

“All those who have been demobilised, their pensions have so far not yet been fixed. They continue to live in extremely difficult conditions,” he reveals.

Madjibire says the government has been approached with a view to making the establishment of pensions for the ex-combatants more flexible.

“We, Renamo, are ready to resume the DDR process. But the government must guarantee that the pensions will be fixed.”

“Prohibited from exercising political activities”

André Madjibire also accuses some district administrators in the central provinces of Manica and Sofala of not allowing members of his party to carry out political activities.

“In many districts, our members are still prohibited from hoisting their flags at district party headquarters,” he says.

“I’ll give an example that happened here in the district of Chemba [Sofala province]. In almost all the villages, the chiefs were instructed by the district administrator to vandalise our flags and headquarters, allegedly because they don’t want Renamo in a district in which we all have every right to exercise political activities,” he contends.

Renamoflags.dw_ — *FILE PHOTO – Renamo members with the party flag during the 2019 election campaign, Sofala. [File photo: DW]*

“Maybe this ‘soundbite’ is emotion”

Contacted by DW Africa, Chemba district administrator Paulo Quembo was surprised by the allegation, and asserted that there was no political persecution in his district, but in fact harmony and coexistence between the parties. He therefore sees no grounds for Renamo’s accusation.

“First, it is not true. I am the administrator of the district of Chemba, I have met the Renamo delegate when he has concerns, I have received those demobilised within the scope of the DDR and I have met with them. I received the Renamo provincial delegate here in the district to discuss political matters and more. Now, maybe this ‘soundbite’ is emotion”, he says.

“As an administrator, I have never had any split with the political parties. The parties at district level themselves can testify to [this] themselves,” Quembo claims.

Source: Deutsche Welle