Mondlane accepts Nyusi's invitation to meet

Venâncio Mondlane announced today that he has accepted the meeting requested by the Mozambican President with the four presidential candidates for the October elections, to resolve the post-election conflict that has affected the country for a month, making the meeting's agenda dependent.

"I, Venâncio Mondlane, the winning candidate in the 2024 presidential elections, unreservedly accept this dialogue, I accept this dialogue table (…). But this dialogue, like any dialogue, like any negotiation, like any type of institutional meeting, must have an agenda", announced the presidential candidate, in a broadcast via his official account on the social network Facebook.

In order to "not go into a vacuum, without any agenda", he said that he will submit a document in the early hours of Friday, to the office of the President of the Republic, with a proposal "supported" by contributions from Mozambicans on the steps to follow in the process of contesting the announced results of the general elections of October 9, summarized in around 20 points that he will present publicly and that "represent the desires of the Mozambican people".

"Forty thousand people wrote [e-mails] to me and everything is summarized in the letter that will be submitted to the Presidency of the Republic", said Venâncio Mondlane.

"The sovereignty of Mozambique lies with the people, so it is the people who determine what the agenda of this dialogue should be," he stressed.

The presidential candidate, who does not accept the results announced by the National Electoral Commission (CNE), which still have to be validated by the Constitutional Council, pointing out several irregularities in the electoral process, rejects a dialogue "behind closed doors" and with "little secrets".

"Open dialogues, to which the press has access,  civil society has access,  international mediators have access. We are going to make history," added the candidate, who claims to be outside Mozambique for security reasons, and is currently the subject of several legal proceedings initiated by the Public Prosecutor's Office, including conspiracy to commit a coup d'état, following the demonstrations and protests of last month.

On Tuesday, the Mozambican President invited the four presidential candidates to a meeting, including Venâncio Mondlane, and said that the violent post-election demonstrations are causing "chaos" and that "spreading fear in the streets" is weakening the country.

"I promise that, until the last day of my term, I will use all my energy to pacify Mozambique (…). But for me to be successful in this mission, we need all of us and each one of you (…). Mozambicans must be together to solve the problems", said Nyusi, in a message to the nation, lasting around 45 minutes, about the "situation of the country in the post-election period".

Calling for "liberation from selfishness" in this post-election process, the head of state, whose last term ends in January, assured that the Government is "open" to, "together", finding "a solution" to the current situation, marked by strikes and demonstrations called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane.

"We also need the different candidates for President of the Republic. We need the involvement of Lutero Simango, Daniel Chapo, Venâncio Mondlane and Ossufo Momade. We need the involvement of their collaborators and supporters," said Nyusi.

In these protests, Venâncio Mondlane contests the awarding of victory to Daniel Chapo, a candidate supported by the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo, in power), with 70.67% of the votes, according to the results announced on October 24 by the CNE.

Regarding these demonstrations, Nyusi stated that they did not comply with legal precepts, such as the "lack" of information about the "routes" by those who requested them, admitting that the form of the call was designed to "create hatred and a desire for revenge" among Mozambicans, thus justifying the police intervention.