Mozambique’s national police chief on Wednesday called on armed members of a former rebel movement to surrender their weapons following a gun battle in central Sofala province last week that left one policeman dead.
Commander Miguel dos Santos of the national police force told a news conference that the armed men protecting Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) leader Afonso Dhlakama must abide by a 1992 peace accord that provides for their disarmament and inclusion in the national police.
”It’s about time the Renamo men give up their weapons and join the police as the peace accord envisaged,” Dos Santos said.
He warned that ”the police will continue to collect all weapons in illegal hands”.
But a spokesman for Renamo, now Mozambique’s main opposition party, rejected the appeal and said disarming the men will be an issue to be tackled after the December 1 and 2 elections in the Southern African country.
”We feel that this issue should be discussed after the elections to avoid it being used for political gains,” said Renamo spokesperson Fernando Mazanga.
A gun battle broke out on August 12 in the central town of Inhaminga, about 150km north-west of the port city of Beira, when Renamo armed guards tried to prevent police from arresting two of their members.
Police said they were seeking the men for allegedly beating up a local official of the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo).
Earlier this week, Renamo accused the police of building up their presence around the nearby town of Maringue where other armed Renamo men are stationed.
Under the 1992 peace accord that ended the war in Mozambique, Renamo is allowed to maintain a contingent of 150 men to protect Dhlakama.
But President Joaquim Chissano’s chosen successor and Frelimo’s presidential candidate, Armando Guebuza, recently said in an interview that he wants to disarm the men. — Sapa-AFP