Share & more
Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano on Tuesday said he would meet leaders of the opposition RENAMO party in a bid to resolve the dispute over last December’s elections, which RENAMO claims were rigged in FRELIMO’s favour, media reports said.
Chissano said he would meet with all political and civil leaders after his return from New York, where he is to attend the United Nations Millennium Summit. “Dialogue has always been our government’s priority,” Chissano said, adding that RENAMO leader Afonso Dhlakama would be invited to the talks.
Despite a Supreme Court ruling that the vote was free and fair, RENAMO has insisted that the results were rigged. Dhlakama won 47.71 percent of the presidential vote to Chissano’s 52.29 percent, while RENAMO scooped 117 parliamentary seats against 133 for Chissano’s ruling FRELIMO party.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions