RENAMO

Mozambican National Resistance
Resistência Nacional Moçambicana
AbbreviationRENAMO
LeaderOssufo Momade
ChairmanAndré Magibire
Founded1975 (1975)
HeadquartersAvenida Ahmed Sekou Touré Nº 657, Maputo
Youth wingRENAMO Youth League
IdeologyMozambican nationalism
Conservatism
Economic liberalism
Anti-communism
Political positionCentre-right[1] to right-wing[2]
Continental affiliationDemocrat Union of Africa
International affiliationCentrist Democrat International (observer)[3]
Assembly of the Republic
60 / 250
Party flag
Website
www.renamo.org.mz

RENAMO (from the Portuguese Resistência Nacional Moçambicana, lit. 'Mozambican National Resistance') is a Mozambican political party and militant group. The party was founded with the active sponsorship of the Rhodesian Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) in May 1977 from anti-communist dissidents opposed to Mozambique's ruling FRELIMO party.[4] RENAMO was initially led by André Matsangaissa, a former senior official in FRELIMO's armed wing, and was composed of several anti-communist dissident groups which appeared immediately prior to, and shortly following, Mozambican independence.[5][6] Matsangaissa, who died in 1979, was succeeded by Afonso Dhlakama, who led the organization until he died in 2018.[7][8] He was succeeded by Ossufo Momade.[9]

Critics of RENAMO frequently described the movement as a proxy of Rhodesia and South Africa's apartheid government.[10] It has been theorised that RENAMO was formed for the sole purpose of countering FRELIMO support for the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA).[11] On the other hand, RENAMO was also reflective of FRELIMO's own splintering support base and dwindling popularity in the immediate post-independence era.[6] Its political programme centered around the abandonment of FRELIMO's socialist policies, the adoption of a free market economy, and more traditionalist concerns such as the reinstatement of tribal leaders to positions of authority.[12] RENAMO's ranks included a number of Mozambican political exiles who genuinely opposed FRELIMO on principle, including FRELIMO defectors disillusioned with its Marxist–Leninist ideology, but also large numbers of recruits conscripted by force.[13]

With Rhodesian support, RENAMO commenced an insurgency against the FRELIMO government in 1977, sparking the Mozambican Civil War.[4] The war was characterised by severe human rights violations on both sides and crippled the already debilitated Mozambican economy.[13] RENAMO and FRELIMO acceded to the Rome General Peace Accords in October 1992, which ended FRELIMO's one-party state and introduced multi-party democratic elections.[12] In return, RENAMO pledged to abandon its armed struggle and conduct its future activities by political means within the framework of the new electoral system.[12] Following the end of the war, RENAMO was responsible for promoting constitutional reforms as well as the promotion of a strong domestic private sector.[14]

Renewed clashes broke out between RENAMO's militant forces and the FRELIMO government in 2013.[15][16] RENAMO resumed its insurgency, citing state corruption and electoral fraud perpetuated by FRELIMO officials.[15] A second peace agreement was reached between RENAMO and FRELIMO in August 2019, resulting in the virtual end of the insurgency.[17][9] A RENAMO splinter group known as the RENAMO Military Junta (RMJ) was quickly formed from party dissidents opposed to the peace process; the RMJ continued to carry out minor guerrilla operations until December 2021, when the last of its members surrendered to Mozambican security forces.[18]

  1. ^ Kadima, Denis (1 June 2014). "An introduction to the Politics of Party Alliances and Coalitions in Socially-divided Africa". Journal of African Elections. 13 (1): 1–24. doi:10.20940/jae/2014/v13i1a1. ISSN 1609-4700.
  2. ^ ""Em Moçambique só há partidos de direita": uma entrevista com Michel Cahen. MACEDO, Victor Miguel Castillo de; MALOA, Joaquim – Revista do Programa de Pós‑Graduação em Sociologia da USP" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 December 2013.
  3. ^ "Partidos Archivo – idc-cdi". Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  4. ^ a b Hall, Margaret; Young, Thomas (1997). Confronting Leviathan: Mozambique since independence. Athens: Ohio University Press. pp. 117–120. ISBN 0-8214-1191-8.
  5. ^ "Binding Memories: Chronology". Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  6. ^ a b Emerson 2014, pp. 74–110
  7. ^ "Afonso Dhlakama, Mozambique's Opposition Leader, Dies at 65". Bloomberg L.P. 3 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Chronology: Main dates in the life of Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama". Club of Mozambique.
  9. ^ a b "Mozambique rivals sign peace deal". 8 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Renamo, Malawi and the struggle to succeed Banda: Assessing theories of Malawian intervention in the Mozambican Civil War" (PDF). arts.monash.edu.au. 11 November 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Key Actors in the War and Peace Process" (PDF). Conciliation Resources. January 1998. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  12. ^ a b c Alden, Christopher (2001). Mozambique and the Construction of the New African State: From Negotiations to Nation Building. Basingstoke: Palgrave. pp. 15–31. ISBN 0-312-23594-1.
  13. ^ a b Watch, Human Rights (1992). Conspicuous destruction: war, famine and the reform process in Mozambique. New York u.a.: Human Rights Watch. pp. 86–88. ISBN 978-1-56432-079-7.
  14. ^ "Main Renamo Policy Guidelines" (PDF). RENAMO-UNIÃO ELEITORAL. 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  15. ^ a b "Mozambique army destroys rebel base: police". Cape Town: South African Associated Press. 12 September 2016. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  16. ^ "Mozambique: Renamo Kills Mozambican Soldiers in Zambezia". allAfrica. Archived from the original on 30 September 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  17. ^ "Mozambique President, Opposition Leader Sign Peace Agreement". Voice of America. August 2019. Archived from the original on 28 February 2021.
  18. ^ "Mozambique: End of Renamo Military Junta, says UN envoy – AIM". Club of Mozambique. 3 December 2021. Archived from the original on 19 June 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2022.