Defence Minister Sekeramayi: Zim Yet to Send Troops to Maputo

WASHINGTON DC —  Zimbabwe Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi has quashed rumours that the country has deployed troops in Mozambique following a fall-out between the FRELIMO government and oppostion RENAMO.

The minister told the Herald newspaper recently that Zimbabwe only deployed troops at the two countries’ borders and is assessing the situation.

Reports of sporadic fighting between the two sides have escalated after RENAMO pulled out of the 1992 peace deal accusing the government of reneging from the deal.

Former Zimbabwean soldier and a veteran of the first Mozambique-RENAMO war, Solomon Chikowero, said it can be true that Zimbabwe has not yet deployed troops in that country.

But Chikowero was also quick to point out that the past experience has also shown that the government of President Robert Mugabe does not inform the nation or parliament about such developments.

“If you look at the two wars that Zimbabwe fought in, the first Mozambique-RENAMO war in which I fought and the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, you will see that the nation only learnt about them when the soldiers were already deployed,” Chikowero said.

He added that Zimbabwe has two main interests in Mozambique, the two countries’ relationship and the Feruka oil pipeline to protect.

Interview With Solomon Chikowero