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Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi has announced that he will sign a peace agreement with Renamo leader Ossufo Momade on Thursday, which will put an end to armed hostilities with the former rebel party, which has become the main peace movement. opposition.
Nyusi made the announcement during a speech to parliament on Wednesday, adding that the official signing would take place at the remote Renamo military base in the Gorongosa Mountains in the central region of southern Africa.
"Tomorrow, I will sign a final peace agreement with Renamo President Ossufo Momade in Gorongosa Mountain," said the president.
"The agreement we are going to sign marks the official end of the conflict between the Renamo gunmen and the defense and security forces, and allows the lasting peace that all Mozambicans have so desired."
The signing would end a long process of peace negotiations initiated by Renamo's historic leader, Alfonso Dhlakama, who died last May.
In the mid-1970s, Renamo waged a brutal civil war that lasted for 16 years against the Frelimo government, which killed a million people before the fighting stopped in 1992.
Despite the end of the civil war and the transformation of the group into a political party, it retains an armed wing.
New clashes erupted between government forces and Renamo soldiers from 2013 to 2016.
Since 2016, the government and Renamo are in talks, which continued after Dhlakama's death from a heart attack.
Momade, who succeeded Dhlakama, is expected to travel from Gorongosa to Maputo after the signing ceremony, his first visit to the capital for many years.
According to Renamo spokesman Gilberto Chiridza, Momade is scheduled to land Thursday at Maputo International Airport at 14:30 (12:30 GMT).
Momade was elected legislator of North Nampula Province in the 2015 general election, but he attended only a few parliamentary sessions in the first few months.
& # 39; End of the conflict & # 39;
On Monday, Parliament approved a new amnesty law for all crimes committed during the conflict between the government and Renamo since 2014.
The law offers clemency to Renamo fighters who attacked civilians and government facilities. This also allows Momade to leave his mountain hideout.
Justice Minister Joaquim Verissimo told parliament on Monday that the law was aimed at "political stability and ensuring effective and lasting peace", as well as "mutual trust" and support for "national reconciliation". ".
On Tuesday, Renamo began disarming its armed members as part of the peace agreement providing for the reinstatement of fighters into the country 's army and police.
More than 5,200 fighters from Renamo are expected to surrender their weapons to the government, a prerequisite for the signing of the peace agreement on August 1.
The announcement of the official signing of the peace agreement comes just two and a half months before the general elections scheduled for Oct. 15 in the former Portuguese colony of southeastern Nigeria. Africa.
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