Mozambique: Tensions are lowering – president

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Mozambique: Tensions are lowering – president

6:05 CAT | 23 Mar 2025

FILE - At the end of his two-day working visit to Windhoek, Daniel Chapo stressed that other countries in the region had experienced periods of post-election social unrest, similar to Mozambique, but he guaranteed that the agreement with the opposition parties, signed on 5 March, with a view to dialogue and pacification, will contribute to the desired "true reconciliation among Mozambicans". [File photo: Notícias]

Mozambican president Daniel Chapo said on Friday that “there are other motives” behind the demonstrations and social unrest that have taken place in the country since the general elections in October, while recognising that tension on the streets is “coming down”.

“The tension is going down and we hope it will get lower and lower,” said the head of state in Windhoek, where he took part in the inauguration ceremony of Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the new President of Namibia.

At the end of his two-day working visit to Windhoek, Daniel Chapo stressed that other countries in the region had experienced periods of post-election social unrest, similar to Mozambique, but he guaranteed that the agreement with the opposition parties, signed on 5 March, with a view to dialogue and pacification, will contribute to the desired “true reconciliation among Mozambicans”.

“Thinking differently is very good, because it’s thinking differently that makes the country grow. But it’s not by thinking differently that we can use violence, the destruction of public and private property and also the loss of people’s lives during this process, which we very much deplore,” he said.

At issue are the demonstrations that have been taking place in the country since 21 October, following the Mozambican general elections, called by former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who does not recognise the official results, which gave victory to Daniel Chapo, supported by the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo, in power since 1975), sworn in as the fifth President last January.

“Each one of us, as Mozambicans, is really realising what is happening and as a result the tension is gradually reducing. We are working and we will continue to work to pacify the country more and more, which is our goal,” emphasised Chapo, speaking to journalists after also taking part in the celebrations for the 35th anniversary of the proclamation of Namibia’s independence.

Chapo added that in order to develop Mozambique, we need “peace and security”.

The protests, currently on a small scale, continue to take place in different parts of the country and, as well as contesting the results, the people are complaining about the rising cost of living and other social problems.

“I’m absolutely certain that as all of us Mozambicans come to understand the real motives behind these violent, criminal demonstrations, which culminate in vandalization, theft and looting of public and private property, the Mozambican people will realise that there are other motives behind them,” he said.

READ: Mozambique: Faces that threaten the free movement of people and goods, destroy public and private property and harm our economy are well-identified and known

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

The Mozambican government has also 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