Olusegun Ariyo
Mozambique on Wednesday inaugurated a new president, Daniel Chapo, in front of a heavily guarded audience of dignitaries in the capital, Maputo after weeks of violent demonstrations over the fiercely disputed election results.
The 48-year-old Chapo extended his Frelimo party’s 50-year rule following claims by opposition candidate, Venancio Mondlane, that the vote was rigged, which triggered unrest that reportedly left no fewer than 300 people dead.
DAILY POST recalls that Mozambique’s president-elect, Chapo was set to be sworn in
more than three months after a contested election that has plunged the country into political turmoil.
While taking the oath of office, Chapo promised to devote all his energies to defending, promoting and consolidating national unity, human rights, democracy and the well-being of the Mozambican people.
However, on the eve of the inauguration, Mondlane threatened to paralyse the new government with daily demonstrations following his earlier calls for a national strike in the days leading up to the ceremony.
According to him, the October 9 polls were rigged in favour of the Frelimo party, which has governed Mozambique since independence from Portugal in 1975.
“This regime does not want peace. We’ll protest every single day. If it means paralysing the country for the entire term, we will paralyse it for the entire term,” he stated via Facebook on Tuesday.
International observers have said the election was marred by irregularities while the EU mission condemned what it described as the unjustified alteration of election results.
Neighboring South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the inauguration while former colonial ruler Portugal sent Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel.
