Mozambique: New speaker of parliament Talapa wants dialogue, inclusion

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: New speaker of parliament Talapa wants dialogue, inclusion

1:47 CAT | 13 Jan 2025

Photo: Luisa Nhantumbo/Lusa

The new speaker of parliament in Mozambique defended a “dialoguing and inclusive” parliament on Monday in an effort to stop the post-election crisis in Mozambique.

“We will have to opt for a system of participatory inclusion, where all the MPs, regardless of their political colours, are united around what the aspirations of Mozambicans are,” Margarida Talapa told the media moments before she was officially elected speaker of parliament.

The parliament of Mozambique swore in the MPs elected to the 10th legislature today. Still, two of the parties, the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) and the Democratic Movement of Mozambique, boycotted the ceremony, contesting the electoral process, on a day when new protests have been called to contest the results of the 9 October elections.

“What we have to do is focus on dialogue and the active participation of all parliamentarians. By bringing the aspirations of Mozambican society and naturally resolving our conflicts. Our differences cannot prevent the development of this country,” he said.

Talapa, from the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo), was elected with 169 votes, corresponding to 80.5%, on a list that also included Carlos Tembe, who won 32 votes, and Fernando Jone, with seven votes, the latter two from the Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos).

In total, of the 250 MPs who make up the new parliament, 210 were present at today’s ceremony, 171 from Frelimo, 39 from the Podemos Party, a party which until now had been non-parliamentary and which supported Venâncio Mondlane’s presidential candidacy, making it the largest opposition party with 43 seats.

Contrary to the request of Venâncio Mondlane, the presidential candidate leading the challenge to the election results, the party’s leadership, which gained popularity after the political agreement with Mondlane, decided to take office, even though four MPs were missing.

“We took office because we are politicians, and we are in this house to do politics. We understand that taking office ensures we have the political legitimacy to continue this struggle of the people (…) As the parliamentary caucus of Podemos, we are the caucus of our candidate Venâncio Mondlane. There is no doubt that we were elected because of this political alliance. There isn’t, and I don’t understand that there is a rupture,” Ivandro Massingue, spokesman for the Podemos caucus, told Lusa.

Venâncio Mondlane called on Saturday for three days of strike action in Mozambique starting today, and for “peaceful demonstrations” during the inauguration of the parliament and the new Mozambican president, challenging the electoral process.

“The time has come for you to demonstrate your own initiative,” he said, alluding to the scheduled inauguration ceremonies, including that of the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, on Wednesday.

“These three days are crucial for our lives. We have to demonstrate that the people are in charge. Peaceful demonstrations. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. [two hours earlier in Lisbon] is enough against the traitors of the people on Monday and against the thieves of the people on Wednesday,” he said.

Venâncio Mondlane returned to Mozambique on Thursday after two and a half months abroad, citing security concerns. He insists that he does not recognise the announced results of the general elections on 9 October, in which Frelimo elected its presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo. According to the results proclaimed by the Constitutional Council on 23 December, Frelimo retained its parliamentary majority, with 171 MPs, compared to the current 184, and all the provincial governors.

The process surrounding the general elections has been marked over the last two and a half months by social tensions, demonstrations and stoppages contesting the results that have led to almost 300 deaths and more than 600 gunshot wounds.

Source: Lusa