“Renamo is concerned about inclusion” – António Muchanga

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“Renamo is concerned about inclusion” – António Muchanga

4:15 CAT | 28 Jul 2016

DW / Xinhua (File photo)

On Tuesday, President Filipe Nyusi relieved former Renamo combatant Olimpio Cambona from his post as Deputy Chief of the Staff of the Armed Defence Forces of Mozambique (FADM).

Renamo spokesman Antonio Muchanga says he believes that this is an opportunity for the Mozambican president to show that he is in favour of inclusion.

The presidency statement announcing the change did not give any reason, but Muchanga has told DW Africa that the move was in accordance with armed forces regulations, and Cambona’s mandate had simply come to an end.

With the rank of lieutenant general, Olimpio Cambona occupied the highest position among the officers that Renamo indicated for inclusion in the FADM, created under the General Peace Agreement of 1992.

Also this Wednesday (27-07), EU peace talks mediator Mario Raffaelli announced the suspension of talks until 8 August, saying the interruption is due to “logistical” reasons and that mediators would be going home and returning to Mozambique when negotiatons resumed.

DW Africa: What reasons led to the dismissal of Olimpio Cambona?

António Muchanga (AM): He had fulfilled his mandate. At his rank, people serve for five years with an optional second term of three years. After this, one has to move to the Reserve. It’s what the military statutes say.

DW Africa: So, you understand his departure was quite normal?

AM: Yes, because he had fulfilled the eight-year term provided for in the statute, it is quite normal. The challenge now is, who will replace him?

DW Africa: The de-politicisation of Mozambique’s Defence and Security Forces of is one of the items on the agenda of the negotiations between the Mozambican Government and Renamo to end the political and military crisis in the country. Is Renamo aware of who will replace Olimpio Cambona in the post of deputy head of the General Staff of the FADM?

AM: It’s not in Renamo’s practice to know who replaces who. It is up to the Commander in Chief of the Defence and Security Forces. In this case, the person who is heading the government now [Filipe Nyusi, President of Mozambique].

DW Africa: Is there any indication or expectation that the post will again be occupied by a member of Renamo?

AM: It is up to the person who does the appointing. We will have to see. President Nyusi says that he is for inclusion, he is for national unity. If he is true to his word, he will appoint another person from the ranks of Renamo. What Renamo has no power to do, nor will do, it is to indicate the person who is to follow Cambona. It is up to those who removed him to acknowledge that he was from Renamo and that to maintain the balance they will have to find another Renamo officer for the post.

DW Africa: Do you believe that Renamo will have some influence on the choice of Cambona’s replacement?

AM: Renamo’s only concern is the inclusion of Renamo commanders who were removed from the Armed Forces without having reached the proper age. [This is a] violation of the law. Renamo’s concern is the inclusion of Renamo men who are now fighting. These [men] should be integrated into the armed forces, the police and the state intelligence and security services.

DW Africa: Negotiations between Renamo and the Frelimo government which were discontinued at the weekend on the suggestion of the international mediators were briefly resumed on Wednesday with the participation of representatives of both parties and the mediators. After this meeting in Maputo, dialogue was again suspended until the 8th of August. Could the appointment of Olimpio Cambona’s successor to the post of deputy chief of Staff of the FADM exert some influence on the course of the negotiations?

AM: No. It is not the military who are negotiating, it is members of the Renamo political party, mostly civilians. The indication of a Renamo member to occupy the vacant post can substantiate a reality and provide a clear demonstration that the current head of state is concerned about inclusion. Or, if he does not do it this way, it could increase the suspicion that the head of state is concerned to marginalise Renamo, valuing only Frelimo.

Source: Deutsche Welle