Nyusi hopes to secure peace deal by October

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Nyusi hopes to secure peace deal by October

8:33 CAT | 19 Jun 2018

Photo: Notícias

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi said on Tuesday that he hopes to conclude the peace negotiations between the government and the Renamo rebels before the municipal elections scheduled for 10 October.

Speaking at a meeting in Namarroi district with hundreds of young people from across the central province of Zambezia, Nyusi said “we hope any obstacle will be overcome, because we cannot continue spending a long time talking. Also, the people with whom I am engaged in a dialogue, must be available at any time”.

Thus Nyusi agreed with those members of his audience who told him they wanted all aspects of the decentralisation package and the demobilisation of the Renamo militia concluded before the local elections so that the right to vote can be exercised “without any fear”.

Nyusi said the discussions he had held with the late Renamo leader, Afonso Dhlakama, prior to the latter’s death on 3 May, “were very advanced. I thought the matter could be closed by the end of this month”.

He was now in a phase of what he called “contexualisation” with the new leadership of Renamo, headed by the party’s interim coordinator, Ossufo Momade.

“It’s a discussion which did not involve many people”, he admitted. “So we have to contextualise, and sometimes we face situations where people still don’t understand the shape of the discussion. But we hope that this can be overcome”.

He said the decentralisation, which involves the election of provincial governors and district administrators, goes hand in hand with disarming the Renamo militia and integrating its members back into society. “You can’t advance just with decentralisation”, warned Nyusi. “The goal of Mozambicans is not just to govern a province, a district or a municipality. It is for us to live in peace. An effective peace”.

For Nyusi, decentralisation would make no sense, if Renamo’s forces were still armed. “I am fully in agreement that efforts should be made to secure tranquillity, so that we can build the democracy we want”, he declared.

The meeting with the youths was part of a four day working visit Nyusi is making to Zambezia.

Source: AIM