Zim on high alert over Renamo threat – The Southern Times

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Zim on high alert over Renamo threat – The Southern Times

9:48 CAT | 30 Jun 2016

The Southern Times / Zimbabwe’s Minister of Defence Sydney Sekeramayi says his country is closely monitoring the situation in Mozambique

Zimbabwe’s security cluster ministries are on high alert following sporadic attacks on government officials and highway trucks being orchestrated by the opposition group Renamo in Mozambique.

Although the insurgencies by Renamo are mainly being reported along Mozambican’s major highways linking the country with Zimbabwe and Mozambique, there are fears that the disturbances may spread beyond the borders of the three countries.

Zimbabwe’s Minister of Defence Sydney Sekeramayi said the government was closely monitoring the situation with the view of containing the escalation of hostilities.

“Our major concern is our railway and pipe lines. So any instability in Mozambique is of major concern to us. Our security details are permanently stationed along the border with Mozambique at Nyamapanda, Forbes Border Post and Mukumbura,” said Sekeramayi.

Minister Sekeramayi said the current sporadic attacks did not warrant a deployment of troops inside Mozambique.

Despite Minister Sekeramayi playing down the threat of the insurgencies to Zimbabwe, residents of Nyamapanda border post last month said they were living in fear after the rebels show a police officer and ambushed a South African-bound haulage truck heading to Zimbabwe just 45 kilometres from border inside Mozambique.

Known for their guerilla tactics targeted individuals and haulage trucks, the rebels were said to have set up offices just a few kilometres from Changara border town in Mozambique, where they are recruiting unemployed youths to join their rat-tag army now comprised of worn-out veterans of the past civil war.

Frelimo chairman for Changara District close to the Nyamapanda border Richard Dzuwaito recently confirmed that the lax security on the Mozambican side was causing a lot of anxiety among residents of the two districts on either side of the border.

“The situation has been worsened by the fact that these people have set up offices just a few kilometres from this district.

“As a party with a few members of parliament, we have no problem in them having an office there but it becomes a problem when people and trucks are attacked by some officials claiming to be members of Renamo,” said Dzuwaito.

Dzuwaito said it was worrisome that Renamo was now targeting government officials and haulage trucks carrying certain consignments viewed by the rebels as beneficial to their continued stay and survival in the bush.

He said the dense forests in the Tete Province were complicating the monitoring of Renamo movements who use the mountainous landscape as a hideout.

“Just as recently as last week, RENAMO bandits attacked a bus coming from Malawi. There were a few casualties, they just hit and run,” said Dzuwaito.

He said the Renamo leader was still based in the Gorongoza Mountain, which is still a no-go area for both the army and ordinary people.

Zanu-PF Mudzi Rural District Council Ward 17 councillor Boyi Nyamande, whose area includes Nyamapanda District, said residents were living in fear following the resurgence of disturbances, particularly in the Sofala Province where hordes of Mozambicans are seeking refuge in Malawi.

“We recently had an incident where a police officer was shot dead just 45 kilometres from the border in Mozambique. What we have gathered so far, is that Renamo is targeting Government officials. But we are still fearful because if not contained, the attacks may turn out to be a fully-fledged civil war,” said Nyamande.

Nyamande said while the Zimbabwean side was permanently manned by members of the national army, the Mozambican side is virtually unattended, with only a few police officers visible at the actual port of entry.

The laxity in security has made it possible for all sorts of people, including criminals, to use unorthodox entry points into Mozambican where they resort to all sorts of criminal activities.

Source: The Southern Times