The riot police stormed the Renamo office on 8 March, dislodging hundreds of demobilised Renamo soldiers who had been camped outside since December. The police say the clashes began when members of the illegal Renamo security force, known as its “Presidential Guard”, opened fire on a police vehicle.
In the clashes, one policeman was killed and 22 members of the Renamo Presidential Guard were arrested.
Since then, the police have remained stationed at the Renamo office, and Renamo describes this action as a siege.
According to a report in Wednesday’s issue of the independent newsheet “Mediafax” the ultimatum to the government was issued by Renamo official Meque Braz at a meeting with Renamo members and sympathizers in Nampula last weekend.
Braz said Renamo had sent its demands (which include the release of all those arrested on 8 March) to the Nampula provincial governor, Felismino Tocoli.
He said that Renamo would mobilise all its demobilised troops throughout the province to be in readiness to act, in the event that the government ignored its ultimatum, and threatened “to set Nampula alight”.
“We aren’t afraid of anyone except god”, declared Braz.
He called on the Nampula population to stockpile food and other necessities because, on the day that Renamo made its move, “nobody will leave their homes”.
The problem for Braz is that Renamo has repeatedly made blood-curdling threats, and has never been able to carry them out. Threats to set the country, or parts of it, ablaze have become a habitual part of Renamo speeches.
Even the peaceful demonstrations promised against the 2009 election results have never materialized. Braz recognised this: “We promised to demonstrate and we didn’t do so. That was because we wanted to allow more time. Now we have nothing more to lose”, he said.
It is not clear whether Braz’s threats are linked to changes in the Renamo leadership in Nampula. According to the Renamo national spokesperson, Fernando Mazanga, Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama has sacked the Renamo Nampula provincial political delegate, Lucia Afate, and the provincial head of mobilisation, Antonio Nihorua. The Nampula city delegate, Julia Sebastiao, has been promoted to provincial delegate, while Nihorua takes the job of city delegate.
Mazanga denied that there was any problem in Nampula that needed to be solved. Cited in Wednesday’s issue of the daily paper “O Pais”, he said “this is a process sunder way to make party activities more dynamic. We want a new stamp of leadership in our provincial delegations”.
This was in order to prepare for the 2013 municipal and 2014 general elections. “We have to adapt to the challenges that we face”, said Mazanga. “Achieving power in the elections is our main goal”.
As for Dhlakama himself, he has not been seen in public for the last five months.
Post published in: Africa News