Mozambique: President, Mondlane meeting ‘very responsible’ – Watch

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Mozambique: President, Mondlane meeting ‘very responsible’ – Watch

10:11 CAT | 26 Mar 2025

Screen grab: DW

Mozambique’s government has described the meeting between the president and former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane as “very responsible” to “discuss solutions to the challenges facing the country”.

“We consider this attitude (…) to be very responsible. But it is worth congratulating and saluting the gesture of Venâncio Mondlane, who responded to the request and put himself at a table for dialogue, to sit down and talk,” said cabinet spokesman, Inocêncio Impissa, responding to questions from journalists on Tuesday about the content of the meeting between the head of state and Venâncio Mondlane.

President Daniel Chapo, also the leader of Frelimo, met on Sunday with former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane to “discuss solutions to the challenges facing the country”, the Presidency of the Republic announced at dawn on Monday.

In a statement, the Presidency explained that the meeting, the first between the two to be made public after the start of the street protests that followed the general elections on 9 October, took place in Maputo and was part of “the ongoing effort to promote national stability and strengthen the commitment to reconciliation and unity among Mozambicans”.

“There is a platform created in which we must all participate and, because the head of state has been a mentor on the issue of dialogue, he showed a concrete example of welcoming Venâncio Mondlane and Mondlane willing to do this, which is important for all of us to live in a more normal context,” added Impissa.

On Monday, former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane also announced an agreement with the president to stop violence, including against police and members of the Frelimo party, and to ensure that medical assistance would be provided to those injured during protests.

“Daniel Chapo has taken on the responsibility of the Mozambican state to commit himself to guaranteeing that this violence that comes from the state, that comes from the police, that comes from the Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR), from the Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic), this violence must be stopped,” said Venâncio Mondlane in a live stream on his official Facebook page.

“Venâncio Mondlane, who is talking to you today [Monday], took it upon himself to come and tell the people in the live that the violence against the UIR, against Sernic, against members of Frelimo, against others who don’t agree with us must also stop,” added the politician.

As well as saying he would provide medical assistance to those injured during the protests, Mondlane also announced that there was an agreement to grant pardons to those arrested in the context of the protests: “Is this what the people want or don’t want? Is this against Mozambique? Is this good for the people or not?” he asked, also announcing the creation of teams to draft the document of the consensus reached.

Since October, Mozambique has been experiencing a climate of strong social unrest, with demonstrations and stoppages called by Venâncio Mondlane, who rejects the election results of 9 October, which gave victory to Daniel Chapo.

The protests, now on a smaller scale, have been taking place in different parts of the country. In addition to contesting the results, people are complaining about the rising cost of living and other social problems.

Since October, at least 361 people have died, including around two dozen minors, according to Plataforma Decide, a Mozambican non-governmental organisation that monitors electoral processes.

Mozambique’s government has confirmed at least 80 deaths, as well as the destruction of 1,677 commercial establishments, 177 schools and 23 health centres during the demonstrations.

Source: Lusa