Chapo Takes Oath as Mozambique President Amidst Post-Election Unrest

Daniel Chapo, of the long-ruling Frelimo party, assumed the presidency on Wednesday in a ceremony with limited attendance, following months of protests contesting his electoral victory.

A local civil society organization reports over 300 deaths in clashes with security forces since the October 9th election, which the opposition alleges was rigged by Frelimo and which international observers deemed neither free nor fair.

Frelimo denies these claims of electoral fraud.

Frelimo has governed Mozambique since the 1975 war’s end, maintaining power through a 15-year civil war that claimed a million lives before a 1992 ceasefire.

Addressing approximately 1,500 supporters in Maputo, Chapo prioritized social and political stability as his government’s main focus.

He also pledged to streamline the government by reducing ministries, tackle youth unemployment, and prioritize health and education.

Reuters witnesses noted a largely deserted city center with a significant police and military presence.

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa was among the few heads of state present at Chapo’s inauguration.

Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, who official results place second to Chapo, returned from self-imposed exile last week and has encouraged continued protests among his supporters.

These post-election demonstrations, the largest in Mozambique’s history against Frelimo, have impacted foreign businesses in the resource-rich southern African nation of 35 million. Cross-border trade has also been disrupted, forcing some to seek refuge in neighboring countries.