The former Renamo guerrillas say they will not take part in the conference of the Renamo Association for the Struggle for Democracy (ACOLDE), suggested by Ossufo Momade's leadership, because it is a body that does not exist.

According to a newspaper "O País"The group, which has been camped out at the national headquarters for more than a week, guarantees that it will not leave the premises until Ossufo Momade makes contact with them and leaves power.

"He has to resign, that's the only solution for us. He's already done six years, even those who haven't done 24 hours have already resigned. So he has to resign too," said João Machava, spokesman for the ex-guerrillas.

This Saturday, the former guerrillas reacted with indifference to the announcement of the national conference of ACOLDE, a body of which the party's combatants are members.

The group says it will not take part in the event because, it explains, ACOLDE is a non-functioning organization and its leadership is unknown.

"There will be no conference. There will be no conference, because we are the ones who control the former combatants from all over Mozambique, so there will be no conference. The president of the Association has to come here to listen to us, because this Association is only on the books, and has no members. No conference has been held since it was set up. Now, just because Renamo has problems, they turn to ACOLDE, it can't be like that," explained the spokesman.

The former Renamo guerrillas reiterate that they will only leave the party headquarters when their demands are met.

(Photo DR)