Afonso Dhlakama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Afonso Dhlakama
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| Leader of RENAMO | |
| In office 17 October 1979 – 3 May 2018 |
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| Preceded by | André Matsangaissa |
| Succeeded by | Ossufo Momade |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 January 1953 Mangunde, Sofala Province Portuguese Mozambique |
| Died | 3 May 2018 (aged 65) Gorongosa, Sofala Province, Mozambique |
| Political party | RENAMO |
Afonso Marceta Macacho Dhlakama (born January 1, 1953 – died May 3, 2018) was an important politician from Mozambique. He led RENAMO, a group that started as a guerrilla movement. This group fought against the FRELIMO government during the Mozambican Civil War. After the war, RENAMO became a political party, and Dhlakama continued to lead it. He was born in Mangunde, a town in Sofala Province.
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The Mozambican Civil War
After RENAMO's first leader, André Matsangaissa, died in 1979, Afonso Dhlakama became the new leader. By 1984, Dhlakama was in charge of RENAMO's forces. He also led its main council, which had 12 members.
As RENAMO's leader, Dhlakama wanted to weaken the FRELIMO government. He used guerrilla tactics, which are surprise attacks by small groups. Under his command, RENAMO became very powerful. They controlled large parts of the country, especially in the north. They could also launch attacks almost anywhere outside the big cities.
RENAMO received help from some countries. These included the United States, Portugal, and the military government of Brazil. Most importantly, they were supported by the white-led governments of Rhodesia and South Africa. These countries saw FRELIMO-ruled Mozambique as a threat. This was because Mozambique supported rebel groups within their own borders.
However, things changed. The Cold War ended, and the government in Rhodesia fell. Also, South Africa began to change its political system. These events meant that RENAMO lost its financial supporters and weapons suppliers. FRELIMO also lost its supporters from the Eastern Bloc.
Because of this, RENAMO and FRELIMO finally signed a peace treaty in October 1992. After the peace deal, RENAMO changed from a fighting group into a legal political party. Afonso Dhlakama continued to lead this new political party.
After the Civil War
Political Life
Dhlakama ran for president as the RENAMO candidate in all three multiparty elections in Mozambique. In 1994, he lost to the current president, Joaquim Chissano from FRELIMO. Chissano won with 53.3% of the votes, while Dhlakama got 33.7%. In the 1999 presidential election, Dhlakama received 47.7% of the votes, and Chissano won with 52.3%. In the December 2004 presidential election, Dhlakama lost to FRELIMO candidate Armando Guebuza. Guebuza received 63.7% of the votes, and Dhlakama got 31.7%.
People who watched the elections from other countries pointed out some problems. They said the elections were not completely fair or open. They listed several serious issues that seemed to help the ruling FRELIMO party.
Later, a group called the Council of State was created. This group gives advice to the President. Dhlakama became a member of this council because he was the leader of the opposition. He and other members were sworn in on December 23, 2005. He said he joined the council to help keep the country stable.
On June 10, 2007, Dhlakama was in a car crash in Maputo. A spokesperson for RENAMO said his injuries were minor. Even though some members left RENAMO to form a new party, Dhlakama was re-elected as RENAMO's leader. This happened on July 22, 2009, at a party meeting in Nampula Province. He won against another candidate and was RENAMO's choice for the October 2009 presidential election.
Later Conflicts
Dhlakama often said he would restart RENAMO's armed forces. He also threatened to cause trouble in the country. In 2011, he stated that RENAMO was getting ready for a "revolution." He said they would remove the government from power and were setting up new training camps.
In October 2012, Dhlakama moved to RENAMO's old headquarters near Casa Banana in Gorongosa. He set up a training camp there for hundreds of his followers, some of whom were armed. He threatened to cause damage if his political demands were not met. However, local news thought this was just another empty threat. They doubted Dhlakama had the power to start a serious uprising.
In April 2013, RENAMO fighters attacked a police station in Muxungue. Four police officers and one civilian died, and ten officers were hurt. Police said the leader of the attackers was also killed. The attackers were trying to free 15 of their friends. These friends had been arrested in a police raid on a RENAMO camp the day before. Police claimed RENAMO was doing illegal military training at the camp. A RENAMO spokesperson said, "Our former soldiers will fight back against any attack." Dhlakama later confirmed that he had ordered the attack on the police post.
On October 17, 2013, suspected RENAMO fighters attacked a military group near Gorongosa. This area was a RENAMO stronghold. Local news reported that seven soldiers were killed. More clashes followed. On October 21, government forces captured the Sathunjira base after days of fighting. A RENAMO spokesperson said that government forces had used heavy weapons to attack the base. He also said that Dhlakama had left the base. A RENAMO statement said that taking the base ended the 1992 peace deal.
2014 Peace Process
On September 5, 2014, Dhlakama and President Guebuza signed a peace deal. They hoped to end two years of unrest. The deal included bringing RENAMO forces into the army. It also planned to change the group that oversees elections. However, RENAMO did not accept the results of the 2014 presidential elections. There were also problems with carrying out the peace deal. Government forces kept trying to disarm RENAMO, but they met resistance. Because of this, Dhlakama stopped the peace process in August 2015. Since then, there have been new clashes between government and RENAMO forces. Dhlakama claimed the government tried to assassinate him twice.
Death and What Happened Next
On May 3, 2018, Afonso Dhlakama died in Gorongosa. He had suffered a heart attack. An official from RENAMO confirmed his death and said Dhlakama had been sick before. After Dhlakama's death, people wondered about the future of RENAMO. An expert named Ed Hobey Hamsher said that "no potential successor has Dhlakama's stature." He also said that whoever took over would "struggle to unify Renamo's factions." At the time of Dhlakama's death, the RENAMO Congress could not set a date to vote for a new leader. The next month, on June 14, 2018, Ossufo Momade went into hiding. He had been chosen to be the temporary leader of RENAMO. He was to lead until the organization's Congress could vote for a permanent successor to Dhlakama.
See also
In Spanish: Afonso Dhlakama para niños
