MOZAMBIQUE: Afonso Dhlakama denounces military siege of Gorongosa

The Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama on Tuesday 24 May condemned the siege of his base in Gorongosa, Sofala, but said the situation would not prevent the meeting between the Renamo delegation and the government scheduled for Wednesday.

Voa (File photo) / Afonso Dhlakama

Afonso Dhlakama said that 10 armoured vehicles and two personnel carriers of defence forces troops had arrived in Mucodza, presumably for a military offensive on his movement’s base in Gorongosa.

He questioned the seriousness of the resumed dialogue.

“If President Nyusi is indeed interested in dialogue, as he has said, how is it that the two teams meet tomorrow to begin to discuss the agenda at the same time as he sends troops to attack here?” the Renamo leader demanded to know.

“According to my information, a secret group is to come to attack and destroy everything here so that president Dhlakama has no time to direct negotiations or so that president Dhlakama accepts the outcome, because he is surrounded,” he continued, further revealing that “some [government] military went on strike, deserted and returned to Maputo”.

On Monday, May 23, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi convened for Wednesday the first meeting of the joint government-Renamo committee charged with laying the groundwork for the resumption of peace talks in Mozambique.

Renamo last Thursday named José Manteigas, Eduardo Namburete and André Magibire as committee members, with the government putting forward National Council for Defence and Security member Jacinto Veloso, presidential advisor Maria Benvinda Levi and presidency official Alves Muteque.

VOA Portugues/Club Of Mozambique