MAPUTO, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Mozambique's main opposition party, Renamo, said on Monday that it is committed to achieving and keeping peace in the country.
The party's leader, Ossufo Momade, was speaking through a teleconference from Gorongosa, in central Mozambique, where he now lives, on the eve of the 44th anniversary of Mozambique's national independence.
"Despite the complexity of the process, my party will continue to cooperate with the government and other entities for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of our residual guerrillas," Momade said.
Talking about the general election, Momade said the country is in a special year to make the lives of its people better off through certain and confident choices.
"Renamo and its candidate, I myself, are committed to effective peace and true national reconciliation, and we will continue to comply in spirit and letter with the memorandum of understanding with a view to the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of our forces," he said.
President Filipe Nyusi was quoted on Sunday by national media as saying that demobilization and disarmament will happen before the elections, but reintegration will take time because it is a long process.
"I spoke with the Renamo leader a few days ago. He did not show any difficulties and in fact there was no change in the schedule," the president said during his work visit in Egypt.
Nyusi was referring to an internal crisis in Renamo that is said to affect the DDR process.
"Ossufo Momade has assured me that the crisis in his party is being resolved internally," Nyusi said. "There is no cause for alarm."
