– Head of State confirms a phone conversation with Venâncio Mondlane, the opposition leader in hiding since last October.
By MOZTIMES
Maputo (MOZTIMES) – President Filipe Nyusi assured on Thursday that he has no intention of remaining in power beyond the end of his mandate, in January next year.
In a national address delivered as part of Christmas celebrations, Nyusi stated that he does not plan to use the post-election crisis as a pretext to declare a state of emergency or martial law to extend his term.
Mozambique is currently grappling with a wave of post-election violence that has left more than 130 dead and thousands injured. The protests, led by opposition presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, have been ongoing since late October.
Mondlane announced a suspension of the demonstrations this week following the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido in the northern region of the country. However, there is a significant risk that protests will resume on Monday when the official election results are expected to confirm a victory for the ruling Frelimo party and its presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo.
Concerns had been raised that the government might declare a state of emergency and impose restrictions on civil and political rights to control the unrest. Such measures could potentially lead to an extension of President Nyusi’s term, which is set to end in January 2025, when the president-elect from the October elections is due to take office.
“I have no intention of extending my mandate,” Nyusi stated. “Let me make it clear: in January 2025, I will leave office,” he added during the televised address.
Filipe Nyusi also revealed that he had a phone conversation lasting approximately one hour with opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane, aiming to restore peace in Mozambique. However, he did not disclose the details of the conversation.
This marks the most significant effort to engage in dialogue between the government and the opposition presidential candidate, who has been at the forefront of the popular uprising against the election results.
A previous attempt at dialogue between President Nyusi and the four presidential candidates failed last month due to the absence of Mondlane, who has been in hiding since late October after being assaulted by riot police while addressing journalists in the capital, Maputo. (M)
