Africa-Press – Mozambique. Politician Venâncio Mondlane stated on Friday that the parties involved have yet to fulfil the points agreed upon with the Mozambican President for the country’s pacification following the electoral process, but he remains available for this purpose.
“The parties involved have yet to put these points into practice. In terms of discourse, positions, execution, and implementation of what we discussed, we still have progress to make. On our side, we remain available, we remain in perfect good faith to continue talking,” said the former presidential candidate after returning to the Attorney General’s Office in Maputo to be heard again in a case related to post-election social unrest.
After months of social unrest and demonstrations against the election results, which left around 400 people dead and caused widespread destruction across the country, with the victory of Daniel Chapo and the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), the head of state and Venâncio Mondlane met for the first time on 23 March in Maputo and agreed to pacify the country, repeating the meeting on 20 May.
Earlier, on 5 May, the president signed an agreement with all parties for the pacification of the country, which provided for revisions to the electoral law, the Constitution of the Republic, and the powers of the head of state, among other changes.
“We have the full capacity to act given what is happening. Now, we must understand what is happening with him [the President]. Because something seems unusual,” accused Venâncio Mondlane, adding: “Or else his party members [Frelimo, in power] are pressuring him greatly, perhaps because they prefer conflict for this country. I see only one alternative.”
Venâncio Mondlane acknowledges that at the time, “the talks went very well,” with “points of consensus.”
“The talks advanced toward a full consensus, but after we left the table, the head of state repeatedly adopted a stance that, in my view, diverges from the consensus we reached there. For example, we had reached a consensus on the individuals detained in connection with the demonstrations.
That there was a real need to release these young people, to let them go to their families, leaving the technical discussion of how to proceed, whether through a pardon or an amnesty,” he recalled.
He stressed that everyone agreed these detainees, still around 3,000, according to non-governmental organisations on the ground, should go free because they are following a “roadmap for reconciliation, peace and even integration of these young people”.
“It is paradoxical that the same head of government appears in public saying that he rejects Venâncio’s proposal because the legal basis for granting amnesty to these young people is currently unavailable.
That is one point. Another point is the type of discourse as well.
We had reached a consensus that we should promote peace by encouraging every form of non-violence, including verbal peacefulness.
However, we note that the head of government’s speeches are inflammatory, and they run counter to the aspirations of people who are committed and who have faith that this country can one day enjoy peace,” said Venâncio Mondlane.
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