More Renamo officers join police
A further 36 officers, demobilised from the militia of the main Mozambican opposition party, Renamo, have been recruited into the police force, under the Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) programme agreed between the government and Renamo.
The Renamo General Secretary, Andre Majibire, presented the 36 officers publicly at a ceremony in Maputo on Friday. He said they would all be stationed in the police Unit for the Protection of Senior Figures. They join 10 Renamo officers who were integrated into the police last year.
Magibire said this recruitment is a basis for the consolidation of peace and national reconciliation in the framework of the implementation of the DDR.
“We also expect that our police will now know a new era of being a truly republican and non-party force”, he added. “We are convinced that these agents are at the service of the Mozambican state”.
He also praised the collaboration of the government, in the person of President Filipe Nyusi, and of the international community in the pacification of the country, and said that he was, in general, pleased with the progress of the peace agreement signed between Nyusi and Renamo leader Ossufo Momade in 2019.
But Magibire did express concern at the fixing of military pensions for former Renamo fighters. “We are working hard with the Government on this”, he said, “and we believe that the problem will soon be solved. Negotiations are still under way to establish legal norms that include these fighters in the new pensions system”.
The Renamo national spokesperson, Jose Manteigas, declared that the high cost of living dehumanizes citizens and turns the entire people into beggars.
“Because Mozambicans have been crying out for help for the lack of daring solutions and social protection, the country is passing through this crisis, which is answered by protests and demonstrations”, said Manteigas. “Mozambicans are indignant at the excessive and abusive use of armed force by the police under circumstances where citizens want to demonstrate because of the high cost of living”.
Manteigas was presumably referring to the anonymous threats sent over social media that there would be mass demonstrations last Thursday. In fact, there were no demonstrations, although the threat of violence did persuade many drivers of minibus-taxis to keep their vehicles off the streets.
“It is time for the Government to respect Mozambicans and create basic conditions for us to have a decent life in our country”, said Manteigas.
He urged Mozambicans to hold peaceful demonstrations and not to endanger the lives and property of others.
