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The late Afonso Dhlakama

Mozambique’s long-time rebel leader, Afonso Dhlakama was buried on Wednesday, six days after his surprise death in his mountainous hideout in the centre of the country.

He had led Renamo, an armed rebel movement and political party, since 1979 after succeeding the founder of the organisation who had been killed by Frelimo government forces in a civil war that had started three years earlier. Dhlakama continued the war that ruined his country and destabilised its neighbours, principally Zimbabwe. At least one million Mozambicans were killed in the conflict that ended in 1992.  An estimated five million were displaced, about one million of whom were fleeing across the border to Manicaland and Masvingo provinces.

Although the war ended 26 years ago, skirmishes occurred intermittently thereafter and escalated around October 2015, leading to him decamping to his hideout. Renamo and the Frelimo government had quarrelled over an election held earlier. The fighting prompted fears that it could deteriorate into yet another all-out war. At some point Dhlakama threatened to seize control of six provinces in which Renamo enjoyed electoral majorities. More than 10 000 Mozambicans ran to safety in Malawi and some 3 000 into the Chipinge and Nyanga areas of Manicaland.

However, Dhlakama announced a truce in December 2016 and has been engaged in peace talks with President Filipe Nyusi. The world saw much promise in the talks which have been so cordial and genuine that President Nyusi actually visited Dhlakama at his mountain camp at least twice in August and December last year. They spoke on the phone from time to time, the last conversation being early last month before the rebel leader’s death following a heart attack last week.

The two leaders negotiated a raft of constitutional amendments on decentralisation, including proposals for the indirect election of provincial governors and district administrators, that are now being discussed in the Mozambican parliament.

Five months before local government elections and 18 months before presidential elections that Renamo is due to participate in, Mozambicans whose lives have been threatened by insecurity since independence in 1975 hope that polls and the peace process will go ahead after Dhlakama’s death.

President Nyusi, speaking at the rebel leader’s burial, expressed his government’s commitment to peace and hope that a settlement will be reached.

“We shall be honouring the memory of Dhlakama if we are able to conclude, in a responsible and speedy manner, the political dialogue, which is centred above all on decentralisation, and on the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of the Renamo forces”, he said.

“Let it be clear that I will continue the process of building peace, together with the new leadership of Renamo, always respecting the legal and institutional framework. The conclusion of this dossier will always consider a collective work of Mozambicans, work to which Dhlakama contributed to the end of his days. With Dhlakama, I maintained a close and intensive dialogue. In this personal interaction we always sought to bring Mozambicans together in defence of the common interests that make us a nation.”

Zimbabwe has much interest in what happens in Mozambique because of obvious reasons.  Geography is one of them, as well as commerce and history. Mozambique helped our country in our fight for independence with Zanu and its military wing prosecuting the liberation struggle from that country. The nearest seaports for our country — Beira and Maputo — are both in Mozambique.  Culturally, Zimbabwe and Mozambique are one because communities along the common border and further inland are closely related.

Therefore, Dhlakama’s death is an issue for us.  It is sad that he has gone, but we are encouraged by his active interest in bringing about peace in his country.

The fact that the efforts by the two leaders have reached parliament is concrete proof for progress.  We hope that parliament, which is dominated by members from Frelimo and Renamo will expeditiously get the legislative framework in place for lasting peace to return.

Frelimo is known to have been reticent on the question of decentralisation, possibly fearing to give much ground to an untrustworthy rival.  On the other hand, Renamo has been slow in demobilisation, leaving some men and weapons in the bush, possibly fearing that they could end up being attacked with nowhere to turn. We hope that Dhlakama’s successor, Mr Ossufo Momade, will allow the peace process to continue and not slow it down or withdraw from it.

We urge both sides to trust each other and appreciate that they owe their people and the whole of Sadc unity, peace and development.

The Mozambican economy is on the path to massive growth given the immense mineral wealth it has. Investors are stampeding over each other to put their money in that economy. Huge reserves of natural gas that were discovered in Mozambique’s maritime territory in the Indian Ocean will anchor its growth from the early 2020s onward. All this wealth may not make a difference if the peace process unravels and insecurity escalates.