Mozambique President baptised Daniel Chapo was sworn into power as the tension rises amidst disputed election results protests from the opposition and continuing political instability in the south.
”Demonstrations and intense security characterized the swearing-in of Mozambique’s new president on Wednesday signaling political tension in the country ensuing from disputed polls and deadly violence.
Daniel Chapo, 48, was elected Mozambique’s fifth president during a ceremony held in Maputo. About 2,500 people stood to witness the swearing-in despite the heat. The new authority’s inauguration ceremony was held in the city hall, and armed forces personnel were heavily deployed in the city area.
Security forces, who were armed with guns and batons, prevented the opposition parties’ supporters from nearing the facility, but the demonstrators were able to hold some peaceful actions nearby. To ensure security some roads were closed during the exercise of the operations.”
In his first statement after the sworn-in ceremony, Chapo, a law graduate, called for national reconciliation. “It cannot wait for social harmony and construction of consensus on the matters that concern the Mozambican people. Dialogue has started, and we shall not stop until Mozambique has a united and bound nation,” he declared.
‘To try to come to the presidency of his country Chapo has as rehearsal controversies and violent acts’. In December, the Constitutional Council upheld his victory by 65.17% vote while opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane was awarded 24% of the ballot votes.
“Election related violence has almost been worse in its aftermath and civil liberty organizations have documented more than 300 people, including children, who were killed in protests and subsequent operations by the security forces.”
Mondlane who is 50 years of age is a pastor and he is still insisting on election fraud through his Facebook accounts urging people to come for protest to ‘’bring back electoral reality.’’ His assertions are now a global phenomenon, and some Western countries such as the United States have raised concerns over the credibility of the election.
The inauguration also points to customers Mozambique faces today because it is associated with political turmoil, election controversies and calls for reconciliations.
Protesters are a reminder of the deep dysfunction in society; heavy security is again brought as a sign of the societal dilemma the new administration has to overcome.
