Mozambican President Nyusi announces power transfer to Daniel Chapo, rules out state of emergency
MAPUTO – Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi announced on Saturday that he would transfer power to the elected president, Daniel Chapo, in January 2025, and affirmed that he would not declare a state of emergency, amid opposition protests contesting the results of the presidential and legislative elections.
“I swore to uphold the Constitution, and no one should doubt that I will leave office in January 2025,” he said in a national address, quoted by the Mozambican portal Carta de Moçambique, adding he has “no intention of declaring a state of emergency to remain in power.”
Besides, the president held a meeting for over an hour with opposition leader Venancio Mondlane in an effort to stabilise the political situation in the country.
Their meeting took place just hours after Mondlane accused the outgoing president, during a video conference at the European Parliament, of attempting to remain in power through imposing a state of emergency.
The opposition staged protests after the announcement of the preliminary results of the presidential and legislative elections on October 9, which declared Daniel Chapo, the candidate from the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), the winner with 70.67% of the vote.
Independent candidate Venancio Mondlane, from the opposition Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos), received only 20.32% of the vote but rejected the results and called for protests, including street blockages. Some of these protests escalated into unrest, looting, and attacks on industrial sites.
The protests have gradually subsided since December 12, according to reports.
The Constitutional Court is expected to rule on the election results on December 23, and the country is awaiting its decision. Mondlane has stated that the opposition will act based on the court’s ruling.
