Police accuses Renamo of attacking village in southern Mozambique

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Police accuses Renamo of attacking village in southern Mozambique

4:17 CAT | 01 Feb 2016

Lusa (File)

The Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) accused the Renamo (Mozambique National Resistance) of launching an attack on the village of Saute in Chigubo district, Gaza province on Saturday.

“They [Renamo] attacked the population of Saute and killed a truck driver who was bringing water to people affected by drought,” spokesman for the PRM in Gaza province, Jeremias Langa, told Lusa.

He added that the attackers’ intention was to establish the positions of the defence and security forces in the region, as allegedly also happened on Thursday at Zero village in Zambezia in central Mozambique.

Contacted by Lusa, Renamo spokesman Antonio Muchanga denied the allegations, counter-claiming that the incidents were part of a Frelimo (Liberation Front of Mozambique) plan to tarnish the image of his party.

“It is a lie. Renamo is not involved. I am telling you, it is a lie,” said Muchanga.

News of the second incident was broken by Radio Mozambique and then confirmed to Lusa by PRM spokesman in Gaza.

According to the spokesman for the PRM in Gaza, the incident in Chigubo district took place at around 2:00 am local time, like the alleged Renamo attack on Thursday,

‘A team of experts has been deployed to ensure the safety of people,” PRM spokesman Langa said, adding that when the police arrived, the attackers fled towards Funhalouro in Inhambane province, where there is a Renamo base.

Mozambique has been experiencing political instability for several months, with Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama threatening to seize power in six northern and central provinces of the country where his movement claims victory in the general elections of 2014.

The Renamo leader has not been seen in public since October 9, when his residence in Beira was raided by police who disarmed and detained his guard for a few hours.

In public statements he has made in recent days, Dhlakama said that he has returned to Sadjundjira in Gorongosa district, but some circles question the reliability of such information, taking into account the allegedly strong presence of the Mozambican defence and security forces in the area.

Frelimo and Renamo have been accusing each other of kidnapping and murdering each others leaders recently. On January 20, the general secretary of Renamo, Manuel Bissopo, was shot by unknown persons in the Beira neighbourhood of Ponta Gea in Sofala province, central Mozambique. His bodyguard died on the spot.

Renamo recently requested the mediation of South African President Jacob Zuma and the Catholic Church in its stalled dialogue with the government.

The Mozambican president has reiterated his willingness to meet the leader of Renamo, but Afonso Dhlakama believes that there is nothing to talk about, Frelimo having rejected a revision of the constitution to accommodate the new autonomous administrative units claimed by the opposition, and says that he will only negotiate after taking power in the centre and north of the country.

Source: Lusa