Opposition Leader Indicates Conditional Readiness to Dialogue with Mozambique’s New Government
Mondlane wants the government to take accountability for its forceful and fatal post-election protests, as the new president sacks the police chief.
Mozambique's main opposition leader Venancio Mondlane gestures as he sits for an interview with AFP in Maputo on January 22, 2025.
Opposition leader and political firebrand Venancio Mondlane has indicated his readiness to work with Mozambique’s new government, headed by President Daniel Chapo. However, that intent is tied to conditions Mondlane sees as non-negotiable, mainly dealing with theviolent response of security forces against unarmed civilians protesting the results of last October’s controversial elections.
“Now, we have something like 5,000 people arrested related to the demonstrations,” Mondlane said to the BBC. “In these 100 days, unconditionally, they must release [these] people.” He also advocated that the medical bills of the 200-plus people injured by police and other state forces be taken care of by the government and financial compensation provided to the families of the over 300 people killed in the protests. “I think that is basic justice,” he stated.
Mondlane said demonstrations would cease for the first 100 days of Chapo’s term, leaving “a window” open for some dialogue if these conditions are met. He did not state the extent to which he would want to be involved in Chapo’s 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.
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