The Mozambican President, Filipe Nyusi, has summoned the four presidential candidates from the 9 October general elections to his office in Maputo for a meeting on 26 November. The meeting will take place at 4pm, according to Lusa.
The meeting, according to the same sources, will be attended by Daniel Chapo, Venâncio Mondlane, Lutero Simango and Ossufo Momade and its main objective will be to address the post-election context, characterised by demonstrations and challenges to the results released by the National Electoral Commission (CNE).
Filipe Nyusi, in public statements made on Tuesday, stressed the need for dialogue to overcome the challenges of the post-election period. ‘I promise that, until the last day of my mandate, I will use all my energy to pacify Mozambique (…) But for me to succeed in this mission, we need all of us and each and every one of you,’ said the head of state, calling for unity among Mozambicans.
The invitation comes at a time when candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who does not recognise the results announced by the CNE, has been leading protests against the electoral process, demanding transparency and solutions to the alleged irregularities. Mondlane has already indicated that he will be available to take part in the meeting, as long as there is a clear and shared agenda.
‘I, Venâncio Mondlane, the winning candidate in the 2024 presidential elections, unreservedly accept this dialogue (…) But this dialogue must have an agenda,’ said the candidate in a broadcast on social media. Mondlane assured that, before the meeting, he will present a set of proposals based on popular input on the future of the country.
The candidate also defended open dialogues, with access to representatives of civil society, the press and international mediators, saying that a transparent meeting would be a milestone in Mozambique’s history.
The results announced by the CNE give victory to Daniel Chapo, the candidate of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), with 70.67 per cent of the vote. However, allegations of fraud and irregularities in the process have fuelled tensions and demonstrations in various regions of the country, posing additional challenges for the transition period.
The meeting between Nyusi and the candidates is an attempt to overcome the current political impasse and is considered crucial to promote stability and understanding between the different players in the electoral process.
