“To the consolidation of peace in Mozambique and throughout the world”

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Sunday announced that he will formally invite Afonso Dhlakama, leader of the country’s main opposition party, the former rebel movement Renamo, to a meeting intended to seek effective peace in the country.Nyusi made the announcement during a service in central Maputo of the Brazilian Pentecostal sect, the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (IURD), in response to request from an IURD pastor.“Here I have been asked to pay more attention to the peace dossier”, said Nyusi. “I accept, because this is a promise I have already made. And I tell you that tomorrow (Monday) I shall issue a formal invitation to the Renamo leader so that we can talk”. “Our differences and our ideas are less important than the interests of the people”, he added. “They people want peace and tranquility. This I will do. The people is not on one side. It is on all sides. The people also include those who follow the President of Renamo. And let these two people, all of them, join together and form the Mozambican people, who want peace and who want growth”. Nyusi said that peace is a condition and a means to guarantee, political, social and economic stability. “With peace and in peace, the energies of peoples are channeled towards promoting the development that will lead them to spiritual and material well-being”, the President said. “With peace, each Mozambican citizen will concentrate on satisfying his individual and collective needs, without fears of any kind”. He believed that, with peace, all Mozambicans will be concerned to do more and better for the success of Mozambique as a nation and for the welfare of its people. Spiritual well-being, he insisted, must be accompanied with material well-being, which is only achieved through work and dedication. He urged the IURD to continue with its “excellent work” , and to go on contributing “to the consolidation of peace in Mozambique and throughout the world”. Nyusi said he is well aware that Mozambique is a lay state, resting on a separation between the state and religions. Nonetheless, he said there is a sound and healthy relationship between the state and religious bodies, who have been the government’s partner in implementing public policies, particularly in the social area. Since he took office in January, Nyusi has met twice with Dhlakama. Both occasions were in February, and Nyusi succeeded in persuading Dhlakama to end the Renamo boycott of the country’s parliament, the Assembly of the Republic.Since then, Dhlakama has not set foot in Maputo, Instead he has repeatedly toured northern and central Mozambique, often threatening to “take by force” the six provinces he claims Renamo should rule.