Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) on Friday called on its demobilised guerrilla fighters to convene a national conference of former combatants “as a matter of urgency”, as some of its members are demanding the removal of party president Ossufo Momade.
“Some of these combatants are at the national headquarters and the others who are not present have been instructed to convene this national conference, where they can discuss internal matters and seek a solution for our organisation,” said Saíde Fidel, spokesperson for the Renamo political committee meeting held on Thursday, which decided to hold the conference.
At issue is the challenge to the leadership of Ossufo Momade, a presidential candidate in the general elections on 9 October, coming third out of four candidates. In the same vote, Renamo lost its historic title as the largest opposition party to Podemos, falling from 60 to 28 seats in the Mozambican parliament.
More than fifty former Renamo guerrilla fighters, now the third largest parliamentary force, have been camped at the party”s headquarters in Maputo since 15 May to “force” Momade’s resignation, accusing him of “mismanagement”, non-payment of pensions and subsidies, and lack of operating funds for the party.
After a “thorough analysis,” the party’s political committee wants Renamo’s Association of Combatants in the Struggle for Democracy (Acolde) to convene its national conference, considering this the “path to dialogue.”
“The way to resolve this problem lies in dialogue. Dialogue is planned for this conference,” said MP Saíde Fidel.
On Friday, former party guerrilla fighters camped at the headquarters said that the association has never convened a national conference. However, they promised to comment “in detail” on the matter later, after a group meeting.
“The association exists, but that association is for projects and not for decisive matters concerning Renamo (…). I was also surprised when he said to convene the conference. Since when? It has been almost 10 years since a conference of demobilised fighters has been held,” João Machava, a former Renamo guerrilla fighter and party member since 1989, told the media on behalf of the group.
The former Renamo guerrillas also threatened to occupy Ossufo Momade’s office and residence if the leader does not speak out, saying that more demobilised soldiers arrive at the party’s national headquarters every day.
“We have been autonomous since we settled here… no one commands us, we command ourselves (…) if he does not leave [the leadership], we will not leave here (…). His silence motivates us, it does not worry us,” Machava declared.
On Saturday, Renamo’s leadership called for respect for the party’s bodies and asked that the differences, which are leading former guerrilla fighters to occupy facilities across the country, be resolved internally.
“We appeal for consideration and respect for the party’s bodies, regardless of our differences,” said Renamo spokesman Marcial Macome at a press conference in Maputo, calling for internal “mutual respect” to safeguard the interests of Mozambicans.
In recent months, former guerrilla fighters have been closing provincial offices of the political party across the country in protest against Momade’s leadership.
Ossufo Momade, whose leadership had already been questioned, took over the presidency of Renamo in January 2019, following the death of the party’s historic leader and founder, Afonso Dhlakama (1953-2018), and was re-elected to the post in May 2024, in a process that was strongly contested internally.
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