“I DON’T WANT TO BE PRESIDENT OF A DIVIDED COUNTRY”

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Saturday stressed that he is not just the President of those who voted for him in last October’s general elections, but the President of all Mozambicans.Speaking at a rally at Nwajahane, in the district of Mandlakaze, as part of his “open and inclusive presidency “ in the southern province of Gaza, Nyusi declared “I don’t want to be president of a divided country”. He urged Mozambicans to remain united and at peace so that they can work freely to develop the country.In a clear reference to the former rebel movement Renamo, which has recently infiltrated gunmen into Gaza, Nyusi said “there are people who at all costs are trying to create panic among the population, so that people continue to live in fear of war”.This, he added, was because “they want to make impossible the projects and the objective of the government – which is to develop the country”. “Say no to envy and hatred!”, the President declared. “The riches in one part of Mozambique must belong to all Mozambicans”.For the ruling Frelimo Party, Nwajahane has a special significance, since it was the birthplace of the founder and first president of Frelimo, Eduardo Mondlane, regarded as the architect of national unity. “Mondlane never taught Mozambicans to fight against each other, but to advance united against the common enemy, which at the time was the Portuguese colonial regime”, said Nyusi.The President said he was once more appealing for national unity “so that together we can overcome all the new obstacles to development. There is no reason to fight, or for a brother to take up arms because of a difference of ideas”. Ideas, he insisted, should be discussed in the country’s parliament, the Assembly of the Republic. In February, Nyusi had persuaded Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama that Renamo’s proposals for provincial autonomy should be submitted to the Assembly.  Renamo has indeed submitted a bill, to be discussed in the current sitting of the Assembly, which would create autonomous “provincial municipalities”, but which would be controlled by Renamo. Dhlakama has threatened that is the Assembly does not pass the bill, then he will take the provinces he wants “by force”. Nyusi told the crowd that, during last year’s election campaign, “I promised to return after I became President, and so I am here to listen to the ideas of all of you”.He pledged that, as President, he was willing to work with all Mozambicans, without looking at their party political affiliations, because everyone might have valid ideas.