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MAPUTO. – More than 4 000 pupils in central Mozambique could not take their exams because a conflict between government troops and militants of the opposition party Renamo escalated in recent weeks, state news agency AIM reported yesterday. The report said most of the pupils are from the district of Maringue, Sofala province, where schools were effectively closed because of clashes.

Education Minister Augusto Jone was quoted as saying that as soon as the current politico-military tension ends, all the affected pupils will able to write their exams.

Meanwhile, the Mozambican defence and security forces shot dead a gunman of the former rebel movement Renamo in a clash on Sunday morning, in the central district of Gorongosa, according to a report on the independent television station,                                                STV.

The Renamo attack was at Canda, in the Nhamadzi administrative post, where Renamo had attacked a police station and looted a health centre last Wednesday.

One member of the Renamo group died, and TV crews filmed his body later in the day. The rest of the attacked group slipped back into the bush.

Meanwhile the Renamo office in Maputo has claimed that the invitation from President Armando Guebuza for a face-to-face meeting with Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama in Maputo on 8 November only arrived at the office on that day.

President Guebuza’s spokesperson, Edson Macuacua, had told reporters last Tuesday that the invitation had been sent “through the habitual channels”.

He did not specify whether he meant the Renamo office, or other channels.
The Renamo national spokesperson, Fernando Mazanga, cited in Monday’s issue of the independent newsheet “Mediafax”, said the party would now try to ensure that the invitation reached its leader.

“We have now formally received the invitation”, he said.
“We shall analyse it and, despite all the difficulties, we shall do everything to ensure that the reply arrives as soon as possible”.

But he stressed that the Renamo office has no idea where Dhlakama is.
“If we knew where our president is, we would already have sent him the invitation”, he said.

Dhlakama has not been seen in public since the Mozambican armed forces occupied his bush headquarters at Satunjira, in Gorongosa district, three weeks ago.

He, and several other senior Renamo officials, left the Satunjira base before the troops arrived.
He is believed to have fled into the Gorongosa mountain range. – Xinhua- AIM.