Mozambique: “Let us engage in dialogue,” says President-elect after days of opposition protest

Mozambique's President-elect struck a conciliatory tone Thursday (Oct. 24) as he spoke shortly after the results of disputed polls were announced.

Daniel Chapo dominated 3 opponents to secure 70.67% of the vote.

"I want to be the president for all Mozambicans, united from Rovuma to Maputo. Let us engage in dialogue, in conversation. It is not through street protests that Mozambique develops, but through peace, dialogue, harmony, security, and conversation. We are open to any Mozambican who has an idea to contribute to our country."

The ruling party Frelimo will also enjoy absolute majority in Parliament after winning the concurrent polls.

The electoral cycle has been marred by violence notably against officials of the Podemos coalition.

READ ALSO: Mozambique rocked by killing of two prominent opposition figures

"As the Frelimo party, we want to once again reiterate our repudiation of the murders of Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe as well as other citizens physically affected in this ongoing process of demonstrations."

Dias, a lawyer and advisor to opposition presidential candidate Mondlane, was killed when gunmen riddled his car with bullets in the port capital of Maputoon October 18. Guambe, the party spokesperson, was also in the car and was killed.

The president-elect criticized the strikes called by the opposition to protest what it claimed was systematic deceit.

Police quelled the demonstrations this week, dispersing them by firing teargas.

Lutero Simango of the opposition Mozambique Democratic Movement, who got just over 3% of the vote, on Thursday disputed the election outcome and said his party would challenge the results in court.

Despite the confirmation of the results by the election commission, the Constitutional Council will have the final say after it considers any appeals.

Myriad of challenges

The results of the Oct. 9 election mean the governing Front for the Liberation of Mozambique party, or Frelimo, has extended its 49 years in power since the southern African country gained independence from Portugal in 1975. It then fought a bloody 15-year civil war against rebel group Renamo, which later became the main opposition party and also contested this election.

Chapo will face immediate challenges including a terror group affiliated to the Islamic State group that has launched attacks on communities in the hydrocarbon-rich province of Cabo Delgado since 2017. It has carried out several beheadings.

Around 600,000 of the 1.3 million people who fled the province since 2017 have since returned home, many to shattered communities where houses, markets, churches, schools and health facilities have been destroyed, the United Nations said earlier this year.

Mozambique also faces high levels of unemployment and hunger, exacerbated by El Nino-induced severe drought. According to the U.N. World Food Program, 1.3 million people face severe food shortages.

Frelimo has often been accused of rigging elections, which it has consistently denied. Current President Filipe Nyusi of Frelimo is stepping down after serving the maximum two terms allowed.

The EU’s observer mission said this week that some of its election observers had been prevented from monitoring counting in some areas and there was an “unjustified alteration” of results at some polling stations.