The Portuguese President today stressed the ‘importance of democratic dialogue’ between all the political forces in Mozambique and welcomed ‘the intention already expressed of national understanding’, after ‘learning’ the official results of the Mozambican presidential election.
The Mozambican Constitutional Council today proclaimed Daniel Chapo, the Frelimo-backed candidate, as the winner of the Mozambican Presidential election, with 65.17 per cent of the votes, succeeding Filipe Nyusi in office.
‘Having just proclaimed the official results of the presidential and legislative elections by the Constitutional Council, the Portuguese President has learnt of the candidates and political force formally declared winners by that Council,’ says a note published on Belém’s official website.
In the text, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa welcomes what he says is ‘the intention already expressed of national understanding and underlines the importance of democratic dialogue between all political forces’, arguing that this ‘should be the basis for resolving disputes, within the framework and recognition of the new realities in Mozambican society and respect for the will of the people’,
In the note ‘on elections in Mozambique’, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa ‘reaffirms the fraternal friendship between the states and peoples of Portugal and Mozambique’.
The head of state also emphasised ‘the cooperation and partnership in all areas at the service of the two brotherly peoples, in peace-building, respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law, sustainable development and social justice’.
According to the proclamation, Venâncio Mondlane registered 24.19 per cent of the votes, Ossufo Momade 6.62 per cent and Lutero Simango 4.02 per cent.
While the ruling proclaiming the results was being read out, demonstrators, supporters of Venâncio Mondlane, were already protesting in the streets with burning tyres.
The proclamation of these results by the CC confirms the victory of Daniel Chapo, a 47-year-old lawyer and current secretary-general of the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo), announced on 24 October by the National Electoral Commission (CNE), but at the time with 70.67%.
This announcement by the CNE sparked violent demonstrations and stoppages for almost two months, called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who did not recognise them, causing at least 130 deaths in clashes with the police.
Venâncio Mondlane, supported by the non-parliamentary Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos), had come second with 20.32 per cent, according to the CNE’s earlier announcement.
He was followed by Ossufo Momade, president of the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), until now the largest opposition party, with 403,591 votes (5.81 per cent), followed by Lutero Simango, president of the Mozambican Democratic Movement (MDM, the third parliamentary party), with 223,066 votes (3.21 per cent).
The general elections on 9 October included the seventh presidential elections – for which the current head of state, Filipe Nyusi, who has reached the two-term limit, is no longer running – at the same time as legislative elections and elections for provincial assemblies and governors.
Lusa
