AFRICA/MOZAMBIQUE - Tensions remain high on the eve of the inauguration of the new President

Maputo (Agenzia Fides) - Today, January 14, the new Mozambican Parliament, which emerged from the general elections of October 9 (see Fides, 22/10/2024), was inaugurated. However, the opposition parties, which contest the electoral result, stayed away from the inaugural session. The situation therefore remains tense ahead of tomorrow's inauguration of President Daniel Chapo, the candidate of FRELIMO (Mozambican Liberation Front), which has ruled since 1975 and whose victory was confirmed by the Constitutional Council on December 23. The candidate of the opposition PODEMOS (Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique), Venancio Mondlane, who came second in the election, had indeed lodged an objection, but the Constitutional Council rejected the request, although it acknowledged some discrepancies that, in its opinion, did not affect the validity of the result.
The Council therefore granted PODEMOS some additional deputies and changed the percentage of votes in favor of Mondlane from 20% to 25% (while thus reducing the percentage of votes for Chapo from 70% to 65%).
Mondlane rejected the Council's decision, proclaiming himself "President" after he returned home from exile in South Africa on January 9 (where he claims to have escaped an assassination attempt, see Fides, 5/11/2024) and some European countries. The disputed results sparked a wave of violence and protests across the country, which, according to several non-governmental organizations, left more than 300 dead and thousands injured. The PODEMOS candidate, meanwhile, said he was ready to die for the cause, also because of his strong religious convictions (he belongs to an evangelical group of Brazilian origin). To resolve the crisis, the formation of a national unity government with Mondlane as prime minister is being considered. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 14/1/2025)

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