Venâncio Mondlane, from Mozambique, willing to be part of Daniel Chapo’s government

Mozambique’s main opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane told the BBC he is prepared to serve in government if President Daniel Chapo meets his demands to end the political crisis that has gripped the country following a disputed election.

El Chapo said he had formed a team that was “considering” whether his rival should be invited to join a new “inclusive” government.

The two men outlined their positions in separate interviews with the BBC, giving the impression that they were open to a rapprochement after the deaths of around 300 people in post-election riots.

Mondlane rejected his defeat in the October election, saying the result was rigged, something El Chapo denied.

Mozambique’s highest court declared Chapo the winner with 65% of the vote to Mondlane’s 24%.

El Chapo was the candidate of the ruling Frelimo party, since his predecessor, Filipe Nyusi, had to resign after serving two terms.

El Chapo was officially sworn in as president on January 15, about a week after Mondlane held his own inauguration to declare himself “the people’s president.”

Mondlane told the BBC that El Chapo was “imposed” on the nation and was the “president of the defense forces.”

Mondlane said he had, however, decided to suspend protests for the first 100 days of his rival’s term on condition that he do the following:

• Unconditionally release some 5,000 people detained for participating in demonstrations against the electoral result.
• pay financial compensation to the families of those killed by the police during the protests and
• offer free medical treatment to around 200 people injured by the police.

Mondlane said that if El Chapo accepted this, he would “open a window” for negotiations or call on his followers to renew protests.

When asked if he was prepared to work in Chapo’s government, Mondlane responded: “Yes, if you have a genuine interest in working with me. You have the opportunity to invite me to the dialogue table.”

In his interview with the BBC, El Chapo said he wanted to “govern inclusively” and introduce reforms to address concerns about electoral law, human rights and freedom of expression.

He said talks are currently underway with opposition parties represented in the new parliament, which will later be expanded to include “all segments of society.”

El Chapo added that he wanted to form a government “open to all Mozambicans,” but wanted to emphasize that “the profile of the people is very important.”

When asked if he believed Mondlane was qualified to serve in the government, Chapo responded: “It will depend… because there is a team that is considering that right now, on the profile of the people, their competencies, their meritocracy, of patriotism, all these prerequisites to which I refer.

“If the team concludes that these people have the right profile, they will be part of the government. Those who do not have that profile will not participate.”

El Chapo, 47, was chosen by Frelimo, which has been in power since independence 49 years ago, as its candidate to rally young voters affected by high unemployment and fed up with the party’s decades-long rule.

He told the BBC he wanted local and foreign investment in Mozambique to increase to make the economy “more dynamic”.

This would help create jobs for young people so they can “build their homes, establish their families and stabilize their lives.”

Mondlane, 50, enjoyed considerable support among young people after mobilizing them during the election campaign with the slogan “Save Mozambique, this country is ours.”

He ran in the elections as an independent after separating from the main opposition party, Renamo.

A small party that supported his candidacy won some parliamentary seats in the elections.