The opposition leader and former guerrilla leader Afonso Dhlakama has died, aged 65.
According to local news outlets, the National Resistance Movement (Renamo) leader died following an unconfirmed heart attack.
President Filipe Nyusi, who is set to run against Dhlakama in the October 2019 elections, stated that Dhlakama’s death is a bad time for Mozambique.
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“To me is even worse because I was in a full alignment with him to solve the problems of this country,” he said on TVM.
Dhlakama had been the leader of the rebels for 39 years, fighting against the ruling party Front for Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo) for 16 years before becoming the official opposition.
Dhlakama, who had been hiding since 2013, met with President Nyusi to initiate the peace discussions. Some of the issues they discussed included constitutional reforms and disarmament and reintegration.
