Maputo, Oct. 2, 2026 (Lusa) - Former guerrilla fighters from the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) who oppose Ossufo Momade's leadership on Friday demanded to take part in the party's National Congress, scheduled for this month, warning that they will not give the party «a moment's peace» if they are excluded.
«If they hold the National Congress without us, we won't let them rest easy. We are just as much the owners of this Renamo as they think we are, because this is where the first-wave demobilised fighters are based, and Renamo owes us its very existence,» said the spokesperson for the former guerrilla fighters, Edgar da Silva, at a press conference in Maputo.
On 28 August, Renamo announced that the National Congress would be held on 21 and 22 October in Maputo to analyse the national situation and the party's internal affairs, with its leadership, headed by Ossufo Momade, continuing to face strong internal opposition.
At today's press conference, the demobilised fighters demanded to take part in the National Congress, arguing that this is the only way to remove the current leadership, and pledged to continue their nationwide opposition to Momade, whom they accuse of leading the party into decline.
«From today onwards we will take action (…) we will not condone Ossufo's continued involvement in Renamo's affairs. If this continues, we will end up at war; there will be no success. We all aspired to success, but we face an obstacle that cannot remain with us. We are dissatisfied and will continue to voice our rejection,» said Edgar da Silva.
On 19 September, this dissident group reported that members of the Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR) had occupied Renamo's provincial headquarters in Zambézia, Tete and Manica, in central Mozambique, with the authorisation of the party leadership.
Today, Edgar da Silva assured that the demobilised fighters would continue to try to reclaim those premises.
In light of the police occupation of the headquarters, he said he expected only limited celebrations to mark the anniversary of the signing of the General Peace Agreement (AGP) on 4 October 1992, which brought an end to the civil war between government forces and Renamo.
«We will commemorate the day in our hearts, with joy, remembering Afonso Dhlakama (the party's historic leader), (...) Dhlakama was a man of conviction, unlike this leader who lacks conviction, and we do not want him for that reason alone,» he said.
Mozambique marks the 34th anniversary of the AGP this year. For 16 years (1977–1992), the country was embroiled in a civil war pitting government forces against Renamo, which ended with the signing of the peace agreement in Rome between the then Mozambican president, Joaquim Chissano, and Afonso Dhlakama, Renamo's long-standing leader.
The agreement paved the way for the first multi-party elections, held two years later, following a conflict that claimed around one million lives and caused widespread destruction, according to widely cited estimates regarding the Mozambican civil war.
For several months now, former Renamo guerrillas have been demanding the resignation of Ossufo Momade from the party leadership, following his re-election in May 2024, accusing him of mismanagement, failure to pay pensions and allowances, and «total incompetence» in the face of the organisation's internal crisis.
Momade, aged 64, stood as a presidential candidate in the general election in October 2024, in which he secured 6% of the vote – the worst result ever for a candidate backed by Renamo. In that election, the party also lost its status as the main opposition force.
PME/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
