Mozambique’s President advocates dialogue without “schemes, arrangements, and interests” amid post-election tensions

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Mozambique’s President advocates dialogue without “schemes, arrangements, and interests” amid post-election tensions

8:31 CAT | 31 Dec 2024

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Luísa Nhantumbo/Lusa]

Mozambique’s President, Filipe Nyusi, ruled out the possibility of foreign mediation to address the country’s post-election tensions, advocating for local dialogue and solutions free from “schemes, arrangements, and interests.”

“We believe in our own capacity because when the matter is handled by ourselves, it allows for a solution without schemes, arrangements, or interests (…) There are no small people, no small parties; Mozambique belongs to everyone, and we must be in a position to embrace all perspectives,” said Filipe Nyusi during a meeting with leaders of political parties represented in the next parliament, except for Nova Democracia (ND).

The chaos stems from protests against the election results, called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who rejects the results announced by the Constitutional Council (CC). The results declared the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) as the winner of the legislative elections and its supported candidate, Daniel Chapo, as the winner of the presidential elections.

Nyusi met with the leader of the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), Ossufo Momade; the president of the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM), Lutero Simango; Frelimo’s secretary-general, Daniel Chapo; the president of the Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos), Albino Forquilha; and the extra-parliamentary Nova Democracia (ND), represented by Salomão Muchanga.

“Solutions for Mozambique can only be found by us Mozambicans. We can have those who facilitate or support us, as we’ve had in the past, but the most complex solutions, which took years to resolve, were found by us, Mozambicans,” said the Head of State, emphasizing that dialogue is the way forward.

“If we opt for exclusion, we won’t be able to solve the problems. When there are issues, and when we all come together, we emerge more triumphant,” Nyusi added.

On December 23, the Constitutional Council (CC) declared Daniel Chapo as the winner of the presidential election with 65.17% of the votes, succeeding Filipe Nyusi. Frelimo also retained its parliamentary majority in the October 9 general elections.

This announcement triggered new chaos across the country, with pro-Venâncio Mondlane protesters—who received only 24% of the votes—taking to the streets with barricades, looting, and clashes with the police, who have been firing shots to try to disperse the demonstrators.

At least 175 people died in the last week of post-election protests in Mozambique, bringing the total death toll to 277 since October 21, along with 586 injured, according to the latest tally by the Decide electoral platform.

Source: Lusa