Renamo, the largest opposition party, yesterday called the closure of the party's last base under the peace agreements "an unknown".

"This is beginning to be an unknown: they are murdering our demobilized members," said José Manteigas, the party's spokesman, during a press conference in Maputo, where he denounced the alleged murder of a delegate and demobilized member in the center of the country.

José Manteigas said that the death creates "an atmosphere of mistrust", noting that the party cannot currently predict dates for the closure of the base.

"There are issues that are not being taken care of within the framework of the agreement," added the spokesman.

At issue is the postponement, in December, of the closure of the central base of Renamo's armed wing in the Gorongosa mountains, as part of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process provided for in the peace agreement signed with the government of the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo) in 2019.

The main opposition party's complaints include delays in the pensions that should be paid to demobilized guerrillas, a problem that the United Nations Secretary-General's personal envoy to Mozambique and chairman of the contact group in the negotiations, Mirko Manzoni, had warned about.

President Filipe Nyusi said on Thursday that his executive is seeking to establish a consensus for the closure of Renamo's last base, saying that the intention is to ensure that the pensions for the demobilized are sustainable.

"In all societies and nations, those who have the right to pensions are those who have worked and paid contributions. This is not the case, but for the success of this process we are making efforts so that they have pensions," explained the Mozambican head of state.

The DDR process is part of the Peace and National Reconciliation Agreement, signed on August 6, 2019 between the Mozambican head of state, Filipe Nyusi, and the Renamo leader, Ossufo Momade.

The agreement was the third between the government of the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo) and the main opposition force, all signed in the wake of cycles of armed violence between the two parties.

Under the agreement, of the total of 5,221 elements to be covered, around 4,700 (90%) have already handed in their weapons, and some have been incorporated into the Mozambican Defense and Security Forces. (Lusa)