Maringue — Mozambican President Armando Guebuza on Sunday brought his campaign for re-election to the central district of Maringue, which housed the headquarters of the apartheid-backed rebel movement Renamo during the closing years of the war of destabilisation.

In the first multi-party elections, in 1994, Renamo made it impossible for other parties to campaign in Maringue. So total was Renamo's grip on the district that Guebuza's predecessor, Joaquim Chissano, only picked up 249 votes in the district in the 1994 presidential race, compared with 14,812 for Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama.

But the ensuing 15 years have transformed Maringue, to such an extent that Guebuza was able to hold a triumphant rally there, where one enthusiastic resident could even declare that, in the 28 October election, he will win "100 per cent of the Maringue votes".

There is no sign of any opposition campaign, either in Maringue town, or in Nhamapaza locality, where Guebuza spoke. This campaign, which is now drawing to a close, has seen almost no Renamo activity in the district. As for Dhlakama, this time he has, so far, restricted his campaigning to north of the Zambezi. He has not set foot, not only in Maringue, but in any of the districts of Sofala province, where Renamo was once considered the hegemonic force.

The Frelimo first secretary in Maringue is himself a defector from Renamo. Andre Chiduca, who says he was a Renamo strategist during the war, told the rally that the only way to eliminate the few Renamo armed bands who are still living in the Maringue bush is to vote for Guebuza and for the ruling Frelimo Party.

A resident named Antonio Macari declared that in 1994 and 1999 the people of Maringue did not vote for Frelimo "because of lies, but today we are refusing to listen to lies".

Guebuza told his audience that Mozambicans have a stark choice - they can continue to live in poverty or they can fight against it. "If we do not fight against poverty, we will remain poor with our hands stretched out for aid", he said.

"We don't need to wait for good luck", he added. "You have to go out and look for luck". And, judging by the bicycles, motorcycles and trucks now visible in Maringue, this was precisely what people in the district had done.

"You went and got the bicycle, you went and got the truck, because you have worked and now we have the fruits of that work", said Guebuza.

As at many other rallies during this campaign, Guebuza warned his supporters that their enthusiastic welcome was not enough. "Victory is won with votes, not with words", he said.

To ensure that Frelimo does indeed win in Maringue, he insisted, registered voters must not stay at home, but must go to the polling stations and cast their votes.