Mozambique's new president Daniel Chapo took the oath of office Wednesday before a heavily guarded audience of dignitaries in Maputo following weeks of violent demonstrations over the fiercely disputed election results.&nbsp;
Chapo, 48, extends his Frelimo party's 50-year rule of the gas-rich African nation amid claims by opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane that the vote was rigged, which sparked unrest that an NGO says has left more than 300 dead.
Taking the oath, Chapo vowed "to devote all my energies to defending, promoting and consolidating national unity, human rights, democracy and the well-being of the Mozambican people".
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But 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 before the ceremony.
Mondlane, 50, who is popular with the youth, maintains 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," Mondlane said in an address on Facebook Tuesday, adding that his communications team was met with bullets on the streets this week.
"We'll protest every single day. If it means paralysing the country for the entire term, we will paralyse it for the entire term."
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Chapo called for stability on Monday, telling journalists at the national assembly "We can continue to work and together, united... to develop our country".
International observers have said the election was marred by irregularities, while the EU mission condemned what it called the "unjustified alteration of election results".
Neighbouring South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the inauguration, while former colonial ruler Portugal sent Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel.
Ahead of the ceremony, Maputo-based political and security risk analyst Johann Smith told AFP that an absence of a large number of foreign heads of state "sends a strong message".
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"Even from a regional point of view, there is a hesitancy to acknowledge or recognise that Chapo won the election," Smith said.&nbsp;
Security forces blocked roads throughout Maputo and around Independence Square, where the swearing-in was held.&nbsp;
The extent of the unrest from now on "depends on how Chapo will tackle the crisis", analyst Borges Nhamirre told AFP.&nbsp;
The inauguration of parliamentary lawmakers on Monday was held amid relative calm.&nbsp;
The streets were deserted Monday, with most shops closed either in protest against the ceremony or out of fear of violence, while military police surrounded the parliament building and police blocked main roads.&nbsp;
Still, at least six people were killed in the Inhambane and Zambezia regions north of the capital, according to local civil society group Plataforma Decide.
<h2>Possible concessions</h2>
Unrest since the election has claimed more than 300 lives, according to the group's tally, with security forces accused of using excessive force against demonstrators. Police officers have also died, according to the authorities.&nbsp;
Chapo, who is expected to announce his new government this week, could make concessions by appointing opposition members to ministerial posts to quell the unrest, said Eric Morier-Genoud, an African history professor at Queen's University Belfast.&nbsp;
There have also been calls for dialogue but Mondlane has been excluded from talks that Chapo and outgoing president Filipe Nyusi opened with the leaders of the main political parties.&nbsp;
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Chapo has repeatedly said however that he would include Mondlane in talks.
Mondlane, who returned to Mozambique last week after going into hiding abroad following the October 19 assassination of his lawyer, has said he was ready for talks.&nbsp;
"I'm here in the flesh to say that if you want to negotiate... I'm here," he said.
According to official results, Chapo won 65 per cent of the presidential vote, compared to 24 per cent for Mondlane.
However the opposition leader claims that he won 53 per cent and that Mozambique's election institutions manipulated the results.
Frelimo parliamentarians also dominate the 250-seat national assembly with 171 seats compared to the Podemos party's 43.&nbsp;
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

World: Taking the oath, Chapo vowed "to devote all my energies to defending, promoting and consolidating national unity, human rights, democracy and the well-being of the Mozambican people".

Mozambique's new president Daniel Chapo took the oath of office Wednesday before a heavily guarded audience of dignitaries in Maputo following weeks of violent demonstrations over the fiercely disputed election results. Chapo, 48, extends his Frelimo party's 50-year rule of the gas-rich African nation amid claims by opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane that the vote was rigged, which sparked unrest that an NGO says has left more than 300 dead. Taking the oath, Chapo vowed "to devote all my energies to defending, promoting and consolidating national unity, human rights, democracy and the well-being of the Mozambican people". Also read: Hamas making false claims about Israeli demands to avoid finalising ceasefire deal, says official: Report But 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 before the ceremony. Mondlane, 50, who is popular with the youth, maintains 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," Mondlane said in an address on Facebook Tuesday, adding that his communications team was met with bullets on the streets this week. "We'll protest every single day. If it means paralysing the country for the entire term, we will paralyse it for the entire term." Also read: Assembly elections: Arvind Kejriwal files nomination from New Delhi constituency Chapo called for stability on Monday, telling journalists at the national assembly "We can continue to work and together, united... to develop our country". International observers have said the election was marred by irregularities, while the EU mission condemned what it called the "unjustified alteration of election results". Neighbouring South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the inauguration, while former colonial ruler Portugal sent Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel. Ahead of the ceremony, Maputo-based political and security risk analyst Johann Smith told AFP that an absence of a large number of foreign heads of state "sends a strong message". Also read: Why Mark Zuckerberg firing employees in Meta ahead of FY2025? "Even from a regional point of view, there is a hesitancy to acknowledge or recognise that Chapo won the election," Smith said. Security forces blocked roads throughout Maputo and around Independence Square, where the swearing-in was held. The extent of the unrest from now on "depends on how Chapo will tackle the crisis", analyst Borges Nhamirre told AFP. The inauguration of parliamentary lawmakers on Monday was held amid relative calm. The streets were deserted Monday, with most shops closed either in protest against the ceremony or out of fear of violence, while military police surrounded the parliament building and police blocked main roads. Still, at least six people were killed in the Inhambane and Zambezia regions north of the capital, according to local civil society group Plataforma Decide. Possible concessions Unrest since the election has claimed more than 300 lives, according to the group's tally, with security forces accused of using excessive force against demonstrators. Police officers have also died, according to the authorities. Chapo, who is expected to announce his new government this week, could make concessions by appointing opposition members to ministerial posts to quell the unrest, said Eric Morier-Genoud, an African history professor at Queen's University Belfast. There have also been calls for dialogue but Mondlane has been excluded from talks that Chapo and outgoing president Filipe Nyusi opened with the leaders of the main political parties. Also read: Biden administration finalizes crackdown on Chinese vehicles in US Chapo has repeatedly said however that he would include Mondlane in talks. Mondlane, who returned to Mozambique last week after going into hiding abroad following the October 19 assassination of his lawyer, has said he was ready for talks. "I'm here in the flesh to say that if you want to negotiate... I'm here," he said. According to official results, Chapo won 65 per cent of the presidential vote, compared to 24 per cent for Mondlane. However the opposition leader claims that he won 53 per cent and that Mozambique's election institutions manipulated the results. Frelimo parliamentarians also dominate the 250-seat national assembly with 171 seats compared to the Podemos party's 43. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mozambique's Daniel Chapo sworn in as new president post-election unrest

Maputo, Mozambique
Mozambique's incoming president, Daniel Chapo, is a former provincial governor with no experience in national government who was little known before his surprise nomination as candidate for the ruling Frelimo party ahead of October elections.
The 47-year-old's victory at the poll was confirmed Monday when the Constitutional Council ratified the disputed results, although revising down his score from 71 to 65 per cent of votes.
A neophyte at national politics, he will take over a deeply divided country, riven by some of the worst post-election unrest in its history.
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Opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane has refused to accept he lost, saying the count was rigged, and vowed "chaos" if the final results confirmed Chapo's victory.
Unrest since the vote has already claimed more than 130 lives.
Chapo is due to officially take charge of the southern African country in January, becoming  Mozambique's first president born after independence from Portugal in 1975, when Frelimo took power.
He will succeed President Filipe Nyusi, whose maximum two-term tenure ends on January
15.
Tall and slim, Chapo will also be the country's first president not to have been a Frelimo fighter during the independence struggle or an ensuing 16-year civil war that ended in 1992 and is estimated to have claimed a million lives.
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<h2>Ordinary politician</h2>
While it was expected that Frelimo would remain in power, Chapo's announcement as candidate for the presidential post in May was a major surprise, said researcher Borges Nhamirre from the Institute for Security Studies based in South Africa.
"We had never heard from him -– no big interview, no interesting speech, no articles or paper, just someone who was like an ordinary politician," he told AFP. 
Chapo beat out three other contenders after rival factions in Frelimo could not come to an agreement following two days of intense debates within its central committee.
"They chose Chapo to be able to influence him. He will be very supervised," said an expert on condition of anonymity.
This influence could particularly be used to appoint ministers in the key positions of defence, finance and natural resources, said Nhamirre.
A fresh face meant to capture the support of disenchanted youth, Chapo was likely the pick of former Mozambican presidents Armando Guebuza and Joaquim Chissano, and not so much his predecessor Nyusi, analysts say. 
"There's not a lot of love between Chapo and Nyusi," Maputo-based political and security risk analyst Johann Smith told AFP.
<h2>Candidate of unity </h2>
A balding former political science lecturer, Chapo has a law degree and has worked as a radio presenter. He began his political career in 2015 when he was appointed, not elected, as the Frelimo district government chief for Palma in the far northern province of Cabo Delgado. 
The discovery in 2010 of gas deposits in the region had Mozambique -- one of the poorest countries in the world -- poised to become one of the world's top 10 exporters, but projects have been thwarted by jihadist violence in the province since 2017.
Chapo's time there meant "at least he understood how to deal with multinational companies at a district level, having to solve problems of disputes between the local companies," Nhamirre said.
The incoming president made thwarting attacks in Cabo Delgado one of his campaign promises. 
"We will continue to work so Mozambique stays a country of peace, including in Cabo Delgado," he said at the final rally. "We want to continue fighting against terrorism."
Chapo, appointed governor of the southern province of Inhambane in 2016, also promised the construction of schools and hospitals and a more robust economy. He presented himself as the candidate of unity, promising to "work with every layer of society, youth, women, men and veterans." 
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Chapo will also be the country's first president not to have been a Frelimo fighter during the independence struggle or an ensuing 16-year civil war that ended in 1992 and is estimated to have claimed a million lives.



Maputo, Mozambique Mozambique's incoming president, Daniel Chapo, is a former provincial governor with no experience in national government who was little known before his surprise nomination as candidate for the ruling Frelimo party ahead of October elections. The 47-year-old's victory at the poll was confirmed Monday when the Constitutional Council ratified the disputed results, although revising down his score from 71 to 65 per cent of votes. A neophyte at national politics, he will take over a deeply divided country, riven by some of the worst post-election unrest in its history. Also read | Canadian man to feature in Guinness World Record 2025 book for stacking most Jenga blocks Opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane has refused to accept he lost, saying the count was rigged, and vowed "chaos" if the final results confirmed Chapo's victory. Unrest since the vote has already claimed more than 130 lives. Chapo is due to officially take charge of the southern African country in January, becoming Mozambique's first president born after independence from Portugal in 1975, when Frelimo took power. He will succeed President Filipe Nyusi, whose maximum two-term tenure ends on January 15. Tall and slim, Chapo will also be the country's first president not to have been a Frelimo fighter during the independence struggle or an ensuing 16-year civil war that ended in 1992 and is estimated to have claimed a million lives. Also read | Sweden accuses China of blocking probe of ship linked to cut Baltic Sea cables Ordinary politician While it was expected that Frelimo would remain in power, Chapo's announcement as candidate for the presidential post in May was a major surprise, said researcher Borges Nhamirre from the Institute for Security Studies based in South Africa. "We had never heard from him -– no big interview, no interesting speech, no articles or paper, just someone who was like an ordinary politician," he told AFP. Chapo beat out three other contenders after rival factions in Frelimo could not come to an agreement following two days of intense debates within its central committee. "They chose Chapo to be able to influence him. He will be very supervised," said an expert on condition of anonymity. This influence could particularly be used to appoint ministers in the key positions of defence, finance and natural resources, said Nhamirre. A fresh face meant to capture the support of disenchanted youth, Chapo was likely the pick of former Mozambican presidents Armando Guebuza and Joaquim Chissano, and not so much his predecessor Nyusi, analysts say. "There's not a lot of love between Chapo and Nyusi," Maputo-based political and security risk analyst Johann Smith told AFP. Candidate of unity A balding former political science lecturer, Chapo has a law degree and has worked as a radio presenter. He began his political career in 2015 when he was appointed, not elected, as the Frelimo district government chief for Palma in the far northern province of Cabo Delgado. The discovery in 2010 of gas deposits in the region had Mozambique -- one of the poorest countries in the world -- poised to become one of the world's top 10 exporters, but projects have been thwarted by jihadist violence in the province since 2017. Chapo's time there meant "at least he understood how to deal with multinational companies at a district level, having to solve problems of disputes between the local companies," Nhamirre said. The incoming president made thwarting attacks in Cabo Delgado one of his campaign promises. "We will continue to work so Mozambique stays a country of peace, including in Cabo Delgado," he said at the final rally. "We want to continue fighting against terrorism." Chapo, appointed governor of the southern province of Inhambane in 2016, also promised the construction of schools and hospitals and a more robust economy. He presented himself as the candidate of unity, promising to "work with every layer of society, youth, women, men and veterans." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mozambique’s Daniel Chapo elected incoming president amid political unrest

Mozambique's incoming&nbsp;president,&nbsp;Daniel&nbsp;Chapo, is a former provincial governor with no experience in&nbsp;national&nbsp;government who was little known before his surprise nomination as candidate for the ruling Frelimo party ahead of October elections. 
 
The 47-year-old's victory at the poll was confirmed Monday when the Constitutional Council ratified the disputed results, although revising down his score from 71 to 65 per cent of votes.

A neophyte at&nbsp;national&nbsp;politics, he will take over a deeply divided country, riven by some of the worst post-election unrest in its history.

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Opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane has refused to accept he lost, saying the count was rigged, and vowed "chaos" if the final results confirmed&nbsp;Chapo's victory. 
Unrest since the vote has already claimed more than 130 lives.

Chapo&nbsp;is due to officially take charge of the southern African country in January, becoming&nbsp; Mozambique's first&nbsp;president&nbsp;born after independence from Portugal in 1975, when Frelimo took power. 
 
He will succeed&nbsp;President&nbsp;Filipe Nyusi, whose maximum two-term tenure ends on January 
15. 
 
Tall and slim,&nbsp;Chapo&nbsp;will also be the country's first&nbsp;president&nbsp;not to have been a Frelimo fighter during the independence struggle or an ensuing 16-year civil war that ended in 1992 and is estimated to have claimed a million lives.

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<h2>Ordinary politician</h2>

While it was expected that Frelimo would remain in power,&nbsp;Chapo's announcement as candidate for the presidential post in May was a major surprise, said researcher Borges Nhamirre from the Institute for Security Studies based in South Africa.

"We had never heard from him -– no big interview, no interesting speech, no articles or paper, just someone who was like an ordinary politician," he told AFP.&nbsp;

Chapo&nbsp;beat out three other contenders after rival factions in Frelimo could not come to an agreement following two days of intense debates within its central committee.

"They chose&nbsp;Chapo&nbsp;to be able to influence him. He will be very supervised," said an expert on condition of anonymity. 
 
This influence could particularly be used to appoint ministers in the key positions of defence, finance and natural resources, said Nhamirre.

A fresh face meant to capture the support of disenchanted youth,&nbsp;Chapo&nbsp;was likely the pick of former Mozambican presidents Armando Guebuza and Joaquim Chissano, and not so much his predecessor Nyusi, analysts say.&nbsp; 
 
"There's not a lot of love between&nbsp;Chapo&nbsp;and Nyusi," Maputo-based political and security risk analyst Johann Smith told AFP.

<h2>Candidate of unity&nbsp;</h2>

A balding former political science lecturer,&nbsp;Chapo&nbsp;has a law degree and has worked as a radio presenter.&nbsp;He began his political career in 2015 when he was appointed, not elected, as the Frelimo district government chief for Palma in the far northern province of Cabo Delgado.&nbsp;

The discovery in 2010 of gas deposits in the region had&nbsp;Mozambique&nbsp;-- one of the poorest countries in the world -- poised to become one of the world's top 10 exporters, but projects have been thwarted by jihadist violence in the province since 2017.

Chapo's time there meant "at least he understood how to deal with multinational companies at a district level, having to solve problems of disputes between the local companies," Nhamirre said.

The incoming&nbsp;president&nbsp;made thwarting attacks in Cabo Delgado one of his campaign promises.&nbsp; 
 
"We will continue to work so&nbsp;Mozambique&nbsp;stays a country of peace, including in Cabo Delgado," he said at the final rally. "We want to continue fighting against terrorism."

Chapo, appointed governor of the southern province of Inhambane in 2016, also promised the construction of schools and hospitals and a more robust economy.&nbsp;He presented himself as the candidate of unity, promising to "work with every layer of society, youth, women, men and veterans."&nbsp;

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Mozambique's incoming president, Daniel Chapo, is a former provincial governor with no experience in national government who was little known before his surprise nomination as candidate for the ruling Frelimo party ahead of October elections.

Mozambique's incoming president, Daniel Chapo, is a former provincial governor with no experience in national government who was little known before his surprise nomination as candidate for the ruling Frelimo party ahead of October elections. The 47-year-old's victory at the poll was confirmed Monday when the Constitutional Council ratified the disputed results, although revising down his score from 71 to 65 per cent of votes. A neophyte at national politics, he will take over a deeply divided country, riven by some of the worst post-election unrest in its history. Also read | Canadian man to feature in Guinness World Record 2025 book for stacking most Jenga blocks Opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane has refused to accept he lost, saying the count was rigged, and vowed "chaos" if the final results confirmed Chapo's victory. Unrest since the vote has already claimed more than 130 lives. Chapo is due to officially take charge of the southern African country in January, becoming Mozambique's first president born after independence from Portugal in 1975, when Frelimo took power. He will succeed President Filipe Nyusi, whose maximum two-term tenure ends on January 15. Tall and slim, Chapo will also be the country's first president not to have been a Frelimo fighter during the independence struggle or an ensuing 16-year civil war that ended in 1992 and is estimated to have claimed a million lives. Also read | Sweden accuses China of blocking probe of ship linked to cut Baltic Sea cables Ordinary politician While it was expected that Frelimo would remain in power, Chapo's announcement as candidate for the presidential post in May was a major surprise, said researcher Borges Nhamirre from the Institute for Security Studies based in South Africa. "We had never heard from him -– no big interview, no interesting speech, no articles or paper, just someone who was like an ordinary politician," he told AFP. Chapo beat out three other contenders after rival factions in Frelimo could not come to an agreement following two days of intense debates within its central committee. "They chose Chapo to be able to influence him. He will be very supervised," said an expert on condition of anonymity. This influence could particularly be used to appoint ministers in the key positions of defence, finance and natural resources, said Nhamirre. A fresh face meant to capture the support of disenchanted youth, Chapo was likely the pick of former Mozambican presidents Armando Guebuza and Joaquim Chissano, and not so much his predecessor Nyusi, analysts say. "There's not a lot of love between Chapo and Nyusi," Maputo-based political and security risk analyst Johann Smith told AFP. Candidate of unity A balding former political science lecturer, Chapo has a law degree and has worked as a radio presenter. He began his political career in 2015 when he was appointed, not elected, as the Frelimo district government chief for Palma in the far northern province of Cabo Delgado. The discovery in 2010 of gas deposits in the region had Mozambique -- one of the poorest countries in the world -- poised to become one of the world's top 10 exporters, but projects have been thwarted by jihadist violence in the province since 2017. Chapo's time there meant "at least he understood how to deal with multinational companies at a district level, having to solve problems of disputes between the local companies," Nhamirre said. The incoming president made thwarting attacks in Cabo Delgado one of his campaign promises. "We will continue to work so Mozambique stays a country of peace, including in Cabo Delgado," he said at the final rally. "We want to continue fighting against terrorism." Chapo, appointed governor of the southern province of Inhambane in 2016, also promised the construction of schools and hospitals and a more robust economy. He presented himself as the candidate of unity, promising to "work with every layer of society, youth, women, men and veterans." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

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Mozambique's Daniel Chapo sworn in as new president post-election unrest

Mozambique’s Daniel Chapo elected incoming president amid political unrest

Mozambique’s Daniel Chapo elected incoming president amid political unrest