While President Nyusi received plaudits in New York for his peace‑building efforts, the process back home is at risk. At the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission on 29 March, Nyusi emphasized that trust was a decisive factor in the success of negotiations with RENAMO and must continue to be nurtured.
Ironically, the same day RENAMO loudly protested in parliament against the ruling FRELIMO party’s attempts to renege on a 2019 commitment made in the Maputo Accord. One of the concessions secured by RENAMO was further decentralisation of power: the election of provincial governors, which took place in 2019, and the planned election of district administrators, slated for 2024. Yet FRELIMO recently laid the groundwork to remove that provision from the Mozambican constitution, despite RENAMO’s opposition.
Chaloka Beyani, a key negotiator of the peace deal who focused on decentralisation, told the UN discussion that decentralisation was essential for peace. When asked for three key lessons, he highlighted the importance of embedding provisions in the constitution rather than leaving them merely in a treaty. However, even constitutional inclusion does not guarantee permanence. With a super‑majority of more than two‑thirds in parliament, FRELIMO can amend the constitution without opposition consent after a five‑year waiting period, which will be reached in June this year. On 29 March the party voted to shift the election deadline from April to August—a change that requires only a simple majority—thereby creating space to later exercise its super‑majority.
The question of district elections is currently one of two major sticking points between the government and RENAMO; the other concerns pensions for demobilised guerrillas. RENAMO refuses to demobilise its last base at Gorongosa until pensions are secured. Nyusi told the Peacebuilding Commission that pensions will commence once the final base is demobilised.
Who will blink first? Perhaps the government should make the first concession. While it is moving unilaterally on district elections—arguably for good reasons—RENAMO has little power to stop it. Offering pensions to the guerrillas who have already demobilised and are now living in poverty could be a meaningful step toward sustaining the peace process.
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