Speaking at a rally in Murruto locality, in Monapo district, in the northern province of Nampula, Guebuza noted “often, when we speak of peace, we look only at the politicians and forget other sectors of society”.
Guebuza, on the second day of a five day tour of Nampula as part of his “open and inclusive presidency”, stressed that peace should be preserved by all citizens in all sectors of life, just as a plant needs to be watered if it is to grow until it bears fruit and gives shade.
“Peace should be cultivated everywhere and every day. It must begin to make itself felt in the street, at home, at school, in the hospital, everywhere”, he insisted, in a clear response to appeals from the public that the country should never slide back to war. Fears of renewed conflict were expressed earlier this month, when armed members of the main opposition party, the former rebel movement Renamo, murdered four members of the riot police in an attack against the police post in the small central town of Muxungue.
Guebuza stressed the need to prioritise dialogue, In order to safeguard peace and respect among Mozambicans. “Dialogue should also improve the relations between Mozambicans “, he said,
The President recalled that the country has already experienced complex processes of dialogue, such as the lengthy negotiations between the government and Renamo which culminated in the General Peace Agreement of October 1992, which ended the 16 year war of destabilisation.
He was speaking on the eve of a fresh round of dialogue between the government and Renamo scheduled for Monday in Maputo.
Guebuza also explained that, although the current Constitution is to be obeyed by all citizens, it is also subject to amendment. The Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, has set up an ad-hoc commission to draft constitutional amendments. The amended text is now under nationwide debate.
Post published in: Africa News