Opposition threatens to set up "parallel" government

Mozambique's opposition RENAMO party has threatened to set up a "parallel" government if the authorities fail to conduct a recount of votes cast during the general election last December.

Speaking at a weekend news conference in the capital, Maputo, RENAMO leader Afonso Dhlakama said at his party had given the government 10 days to recount the votes. Dhlakama said that the "RENAMO government" would be established in the six northern and central provinces where the party won a majority of votes.

"There will be fighting if the government tries to hinder RENAMO's governance in the north," Dhlakama said. He also told journalists that RENAMO had "nothing to do with the constitution."

In January, the country's supreme court rejected an appeal by RENAMO challenging the election results which returned President Joaquim Chissano and his FRELIMO party to power. Chissano won 52.3 percent of the votes in the presidential race, to Dhlakama's 47.7 percent. In the parliamentary race FRELIMO won 133 votes in the 250 member assembly. RENAMO captured 117 seats.

International and local observers declared the election "free and fair" and praised Mozambicans for the way they conducted themselves during the elections.

In the country's first multi-party elections in 1994 following a 15-year civil war, FRELIMO won 129 seats and RENAMO 112. Nine seats were taken by smaller parties.