Maputo — Afonso Dhlakama, leader of Mozambique's main opposition party, the former rebel movement Renamo, has insisted that he will press ahead with organising demonstrations against the results of the 28 October general elections, which Renamo regards as fraudulent.

After more than a fortnight of silence, Dhlakama gave a series of interviews to selected journalists over the weekend in his residence in the northern city of Nampula.

On 19 November, Dhlakama had to be carried out of a meeting of the Renamo National Political Commission on a stretcher, suffering from arthrosis (a form of rheumatism). As he recovered in the ensuing days, other Renamo officials made sure that no journalists could contact the party's leader. Armed bodyguards were posted at the house with instructions to turn away forcibly any journalist who approached.

Dhlakama has now recovered sufficiently to dismiss all fears about his health. He told the independent daily "O Pais" that one reason why he was now granting interviews was to quash rumours that he had died.

He had delegated the closing session of the National Commission to the Renamo general secretary, Ossufo Momade, because he was feeling "very tired". And he had kept silent over the ensuing two weeks, because he was busy organizing the planned demonstration against the election results.

Dhlakama claimed that he wanted a peaceful demonstration. "We don't want the government or the Frelimo Party to make use of this demonstration to kill the people", he said, "and that's why we are doing everything on the basis of the law".

Renamo would submit notifications to hold demonstrations in all 128 districts. "There may be an administrator or police commander who doesn't want to sign, but that's his problem", said Dhlakama. "We are not asking to demonstrate, we are notifying, as stated in the constitution".

"Obviously Frelimo, since it is not democratic, confuses peaceful demonstrations, envisaged under the Constitution, with a conspiracy against the government", he added.

"We shall demonstrate very well from the Rovuma to the Maputo (the rivers marking the northern and southern boundaries of the country)", said Dhlakama. "Nobody in this country is afraid of AK-47s. If the police open fire on the demonstrators, we shall respond to defend the people, and we shall respond well".

Last week, Deputy Interior Minister Jose Mandra warned that the police would not tolerate any disturbances of public order. But Dhlakama dismissed Mandra as "a child".

"He doesn't know what Renamo is. The people are not afraid of the police", exclaimed Dhlakama. "Dhakama is not afraid of the police. It's the police who are going to be afraid of the people".

Mandra, addressing police officers in Nampula, had very specifically said he wanted no repetition of "the disgrace" of Renamo seizing weapons from the police, which had happened in February in the port of Nacala, when the police were protecting the mayor of Beira and leader of the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM), Daviz Simango, from a Renamo attempt to assassinate him

Dhlakama claimed that if the proposed demonstrations turn violent "it will be Frelimo's fault".

He offered to put himself in the front line of the demonstration. "I want to be the first to take a bullet from the riot police", he said.

In a separate interview in Monday's issue of the newsheet "Canal de Mocambique", Dhlakama said it was only "organisational motives" that were delaying the demonstrations. "If I, Dhlakama, die at the head of a peaceful demonstration, I will be a true hero", he declared.

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Council has rejected Renamo's appeal against the election results, but the Council's full ruling has not yet been made public.