Opposition Leader Indicates Conditional Readiness to Dialogue with Mozambique’s New Government

Mondlane has repeatedly claimed victory in last year’s election, declaring himself the rightful president of Mozambique. The announcement that Chapo, candidate of the ruling party Frelimo, was the winner of the electiontriggered an unrelenting wave of civil demonstrations, which the government responded to with violent and fatal force.

“Every time there are elections in Mozambique, people die afterward,” Chaposaid, rather insensitively, in an interview with the BBC. He did offer condolences to families but also mentioned that a police officer was stoned to death by some citizens, perhaps as a counter to the fact that the police murdered hundreds of protesters. He also said Mondlane’s claim as Mozambique’s rightful president is illegal.

In the thick of the protests last November, two Mozambicans told us that theyhighly doubt Chapo’s ability to bring about systemic changes, given that he’s in office courtesy of a system put in place by Frelimo, whose popularity has greatly dwindled.

Meanwhile, Chapo has sacked police chief Bernadino Rafael, widely regarded as the mastermind of the brutal crackdown on protesters. Rafael claimedonly 96 people were killed during the protests, including 17 police officers, downplaying the level of violence used by the police.

Like many police forces on the continent, Mozambique’s police under Rafaelis said to have been “terrifyingly efficient in gunning down unarmed protesters” and ineffective at serving and protecting Mozambicans.

Joaquim Adriano Sive has been appointed the new police chief. However, his record barely inspires confidence. Sive, who has served as provincial commander in Sofala, Cabo Delgado, and Nampula provinces,was suspended in 2019 after ten people died and dozens were injured at a Frelimo rally. Last year, he prevented protests in Beira during Mondlane’s visit.