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Mozambique: Dhlakama Re-elected President of Renamo
Afonso Dhlakama was re-elected president of Mozambique's main opposition party, the former rebel movement Renamo, on Thursday night at the end of a party congress held in the northern city of Nampula.
The congress also chose Joaquim Vaz, a former Renamo representative in Portugal, as the party's new general secretary.
In his closing speech, Dhlakama called on the delegates to make Renamo "strong and dynamic party that is an alternative to (the ruling party) Frelimo".
He claimed that Renamo would be involved in bringing morality back to Mozambican society, which he described as "lacking in ethical and moral values, and becoming a jungle where there are no laws".
He stressed that Renamo remained committed to peace "regardless of the provocation" which he accused Frelimo of waging against his party.
He also called on the delegates to get ready for the municipal elections scheduled for 2003 and the general elections of 2004. "Renamo must become a winning party", he said.
On Thursday, outside the hall where the Renamo congress was taking place, at least five people were injured, two of them seriously, when they were savagely attacked by bodyguards loyal to Dhlakama.
The attack occurred when a group of former Renamo guerrilla fighters attempted to mount a peaceful demonstration outside the congress.
They carried placards with the slogans "the interests of the former fighters have been ignored", and "Dhlakama's meeting isn't a congress, it's a meeting of friends".
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