- Opposition leader says the Head of State and his team refused to sign the minutes of decisions made during two meetings in Maputo
By Sheila Nhancale and Noémia Mendes
Maputo (MOZTIMES) – Opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane told MOZTIMES, in response to questions, that Daniel Chapo was not truthful in denying the existence of agreements reached during two recent rounds of dialogue held between the parties in Maputo.
Mondlane explained that, during the meetings held on 23 March and 20 May 2025, the parties reached consensus on four points, including the “release of all those detained in connection with the [post-electoral] protests.”
Other points agreed upon, according to Mondlane, were the cessation of all forms of violence by both sides; free medical treatment, within the National Health System, for all those injured during the protests; and support for the families of those killed in the violence, both civilians and police officers.
Mondlane’s statements follow a recent interview with President Daniel Chapo by a Portuguese media outlet, in which he denied having reached any agreement with the opposition leader.
“At the first meeting, held at the Joaquim Chissano Conference Centre, I was the one who proposed the four points that were agreed upon, and it was President Chapo himself who gave the final summary, in the presence of the facilitators,” said Mondlane.
Among the facilitators, Mondlane said, were Severino Ngoenha, Luís Bernardo Honwana, Narciso Matos, Carlos Martins, Tomás Timbane, Óscar Monteiro, and Thera Tobias Dai.
“At the second meeting, those points were revisited and reaffirmed, and a fifth topic was added concerning the ‘creation of VM’s political party’,” he said. “Consensus was reached once again, witnessed by the facilitators mentioned above, with the addition of one more participant: Teodato Hunguana,” Mondlane added.
The opposition leader further explained that Dinis Tivane was appointed on his behalf, and lawyer Ericino de Salema on behalf of President Daniel Chapo, “to coordinate scheduling and the next steps.”
However, the Head of State has publicly denied the existence of any agreements or consensus, first in statements to Mozambican media, and more recently in an interview with CNN Portugal, where he declared: “There is no agreement with Venâncio Mondlane. And where there is no agreement, there is nothing to comply with.”
Chapo acknowledged that “meetings took place” but insisted they had no formal status, claiming their purpose was “to pacify the country” and counter “hate speech.”
“One of the matters the other side never wanted to formalise was the signing of the minutes and summaries of the agreements. They were always evasive and repeatedly postponed the act,” the opposition leader told MOZTIMES. He noted, however, that “witnesses were present, so that faith could be placed in what was discussed and agreed.”
The public disagreement between the country’s two main political figures may point to a lack of good faith in the dialogue process aimed at restoring peace in Mozambique, still reeling from the aftermath of post-electoral violence, which left around 380 people dead, more than a thousand injured, including dozens of police officers, and thousands detained, the majority of whom remain incarcerated. (SN/NM)
