Maputo — The alliance between Mozambique's former rebel movement Renamo and ten minor parties may be coming to an end, according to a report in Wednesday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias".

Renamo joined forces with the minor parties to form the "Renamo-Electoral Union" coalition in 1999. For Renamo this had the great advantage that, in the presidential elections of that year, there was only one opposition candidate, Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama. This contrasted with the situation in 1994, when there were 11 opposition candidates.

But the minor parties had to be accommodated in parliament, which meant Renamo surrendering 19 seats to its allies. The small parties, with few members, and next to no popular support, are also paid out of the state funds available to the Electoral Union because of its parliamentary representation.

This arrangement may now come to an end. Maximo Dias, leader of one of the minor parties, the Mozambican Nationalist Movement (MONAMO), told "Noticias" that his party, and other coalition members, attended a recent meeting at which Renamo advised them that it intends to run on its own in future elections.

"The Renamo leaders guiding the meeting suggested that MONAMO, and other coalition parties, run separately in the 2003 local elections and the 2004 general elections", said Dias.

He thought the situation was not yet very clear. "It's not certain whether the Electoral Union will continue or not", he said.

Renamo had also told its partners that it was open to reactivating the coalition - but only after the elections.

But the 1994 experience shows that, on their own, small parties find it almost impossible to break through the barrier of five per cent of the national vote needed to secure any parliamentary seats at all. So Renamo appears to be politely jettisoning its coalition partners.

Dias said he was thinking of forming a new opposition coalition "consisting of people who are worried about the current situation of the country, people who want to improve the economic and social performance of Mozambique".

But that would all depend on whether Renamo does indeed dissolve the Electoral Union.

Meanwhile, MONAMO has pledged that it will fight on its own in two municipalities in 2003 - Cuamba and Monapo, both in the north of the country. MONAMO would present mayoral candidates in these two towns, and candidates for the municipal assemblies in other parts of the country.