Africa-Press – Mozambique. The manner in which the detention of the former combatants of Mozambique’s former second largest party was carried out drew criticism from former Renamo deputy and political advisor to Ossufo Momade, Venâncio Mondlane.
The politician described the police intervention at Renamo’s national headquarters in a Facebook live broadcast on Thursday (29/05) as the “last humiliation” for the party and its historic leader Afonso Dhlakama.
“It was either accept it or have the UIR [Rapid Intervention Unit, part of the police] stomp on, humiliate and spit on the tombstone of Afonso Dhlakama. The last humiliation that needed to be done to Renamo was exactly what happened now,” he said.
The Renamo Youth League was also not happy with the police intervention. Ivan Mazanga, president of the association, told a press conference this Thursday (29-05) that if this happened with the consent of the party leadership, “we express our firm opposition here, because we are convinced that constant dialogue must be the permanent way to overcome our differences, today and always”.
Mazanga urges the party leadership to look at the standoff with the former guerrillas and the internal crisis within RENAMO with due seriousness.
“That is why we urge you to reconvene the National Council meeting, so that together, and in an institutional manner, we can find the best solutions for our party,” he argued.
Seeking a negotiated solution?
Geraldo Carvalho, national head of the Renamo party mobilization, also advocated an urgent solution to the rift between the party leadership and the demobilized guerrillas. In a video shared on social media, Carvalho announced that a national conference of demobilized soldiers would be held soon.
“Everyone will put all their questions on the table, because it will be the first conference of this nature to take place after the death of Afonso Dhlakama,” he said.
Carvalho acknowledges that the situation should not have reached the current extremes: “But it is never too late to restart a process and accommodate concerns, demands and correct mistakes that have been made.”
The former Renamo guerrillas are demanding that Ossufo Momade step down from the leadership of Renamo. Last Wednesday (28-05), their spokesman João Machava accused Momade of destroying the party in an interview with DW: “He cannot manage the party. He is bankrupting the party, which is why we are fighting Ossufo Momade.”
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