Mozambiques præsident Arnando Guebuza har undertegnet en fredsaftale med den tidl. rebel-leder Afonso Dhlakama, som torsdag dukkede op fra to års skjul i bushen, skriver BBC online fredag. Det kan sikre politisk ro til at fortsætte det sydøstafrikanske lands økonomiske fremgang.
President Guebuza hailed the deal to end a low-level insurgency as “a very important day for our people”. Mr Dhlakama agreed but also accused the government of “intolerance”.
The head of Renamo, which fought a 1975-1992 bloody and devastating civil war, says he will contest next month’s elections wanting to end the “one-party state” in Mozambique.
Afonso Dhlakama has contested every poll since the civil war ended but has always lost.
Presidential and parliamentary elections are due on 15 October. Mr Guebuza is stepping down after serving two terms and former Defence Minister Felipe Nyusi will be the candidate of the governing Frelimo party.
After signing the deal, Mr. Dhlakama said: “After the beautiful dream of two decades ago when peace seemed to be for always, we saw a systematic concentration of power in the hands of those in power… many are in this room,” drawing gasps and mutters from the audience.
The Renamo leader went into hiding in October 2012, after accusing the government of breaking the terms of the 1992 peace deal, BBC noted.
