Chissano supports protest marches

Former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano says he sees nothing wrong with public demonstrations and instead presidents must appreciate advice from their citizens. Chissano, who was in Namibia to address the ACP-EU joint parliament session in Windhoek yesterday, said presidents must shy away from those who lead them astray.According to him citizens must air their views and insist that their government listen to them if they do not agree with government plans.“We have no alternative than to keep on warning or reminding or showing what is going on. I was pleased as president to be shown where I could go wrong by someone who comes friendly, who says this you made wrong,” he said. Chissano, who is an advocate for peaceful dialogue and who led his country out of a post-independence civil war, said governments must respect citizens’ complaints and their objections. “It is a way of expression provided it does not come to violence; demonstrations and violence are two different things. So I would not be against any demonstration if it is peaceful and if it is meant to send messages,” he said.Chissano, who stepped down voluntarily after having served as president for ten years, is spending most of his time in retirement as a peace advocate. Speaking on the state of security on the African continent, Chissano said the biggest challenge Africa faces in terms of security and civil unrest is to mobilise resources to plan counter-programmes.“We have had cooperation with the European Union but not all the time you get the support when it is needed, because of bureaucratic concentrations. So the challenge is the construction of forces and methodologies to act quickly,” he said. Meanwhile, according to Swedish parliamentarian Bodil Valero, countries must deal with the root causes of civil unrest. “I think there is a lot of different root causes. Climate change is one, poverty, we have oppression, no jobs for young people and then we have conflict. Climate change is not the only but it is like a catalyst for all the others,” she said. JEMIMA BEUKES

Chissano supports protest marches

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-18

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Chissano supports protest marches

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-18

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