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Mozambique rivals Dhlakama and Guebuza sign peace deal | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Mozambican President Arnando Guebuza has signed a peace deal with ex-rebel leader Afonso Dhlakama, who on Thursday emerged from two years in hiding. | |
President Guebuza hailed the deal to end a low-level insurgency as "a very important day for our people". | |
Mr Dhlakama agreed but also accused the government of "intolerance", the AFP news agency reports. | |
The head of Renamo, which fought a 1975-1992 civil war, says he will contest next month's elections. | |
He has contested every poll since the civil war ended but has always lost. | |
Mr Dhlakama flew into the capital Maputo on Thursday accompanied by diplomats, after a deal to end the conflict was agreed last month. | |
After signing the deal, he said he hoped it "can bring to an end the one-party state", AFP reports. | |
"After the beautiful dream of two decades ago when peace seemed to be for always, we saw a systematic concentration of power in the hands of those in power... many are in this room," he said, drawing gasps and mutters from the audience, according to AFP. | |
The Renamo leader went into hiding in October 2012, after accusing the government of breaking the terms of the 1992 peace deal. | |
The conflict threatened the economic progress Mozambique had made in recent years. | |
Presidential and parliamentary elections are due on 15 October. | |
Mr Guebuza is stepping down after serving two terms and former Defence Minister Felipe Nyusi will be the candidate of the governing Frelimo party. | Mr Guebuza is stepping down after serving two terms and former Defence Minister Felipe Nyusi will be the candidate of the governing Frelimo party. |