from ARMANDO DOMINGOS in Maputo, Mozambique
Mozambique Bureau
MAPUTO, (CAJ News) – THE main opposition leader in Mozambique has accepted a meeting called for by outgoing president, Felipe Nyusi, but maintains he is the winner of the October elections.
Venâncio Mondlane, of the Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique (PODEMOS), is currently out of the country in fear of his life.
“I, Venâncio Mondlane, the winning candidate in the 2024 presidential elections, unreservedly accept this dialogue,” he announced in his social media.
He requested to be furnished with the agenda of the meeting that Nyusi has requested with the four candidates that participated in the election to succeed him in January 2025.
Besides Mondlane, other candidates are Danile Chapo of the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), who has been declared the winner by the National Electoral Commission (CNE), as well as Ossufo Momade of the Mozambique Resistance (RENAMO) and Lutero Simango of the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM).
Scores have been killed in Mozambique since Chapo was announced the winner of the recent election.
Carlos Agostinho do Rosário, this week hailed Nyusi’s decision to meet the candidates of the poll.
Speaking in Sofala, he dissuaded youths from engaging in violent protests.
“We intend to involve everyone in the priorities of the moment, which are the recovery of peace, harmony, political tolerance, serenity and dialogue between Mozambicans towards the normalization of social and economic life,” Rosário said.
– CAJ News