The runner-up in Mozambique’s October 9 presidential elections, Venancio Mondlane, has accepted President Filipe Nyusi’s offer to join discussions with him and three other candidates in hopes of ending weeks of postelection protests and violence that have left at least 30 people dead in the southeast African country.
Nyusi called for dialogue during a state-of-the-nation address Tuesday, saying the demonstrations were limiting the activities of companies, stalling shipments from ports and putting people out of work, among other issues that are negatively affecting the nation’s economy.
From his Facebook page, Mondlane said that he had accepted the dialogue offer and that he would submit his proposal on Saturday for an agenda for the talks, which are proposed for Tuesday. There was no indication the other candidates responded to Nyusi’s call.
Nyusi, who will hand over his office in January to Daniel Chapo if the Constitutional Council confirms the election results, appealed for dialogue with Mondlane along with ruling party candidate Chapo and the two other presidential hopefuls, Ossufo Momade from Renamo and Lutero Simango of the Democratic Movement of Mozambique.
The demonstrations broke out October 24 when the nation’s election commission declared ruling Frelimo party candidate Chapo the winner with nearly 71% of the vote. Mondlane and his Podemos party, who the commission said came in second with 20% of the vote, challenged the vote and called for protests.
The advocacy group Human Rights Watch has reported that while many of the protests have been peaceful, some demonstrators have burned tires and blocked roads. Mozambique security personnel have responded with tear gas, dogs, rubber bullets and, in some cases, live ammunition.
Along with the deaths, Nyusi said, more than 800 people, including 66 security officers, have been injured.
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other groups have condemned the violent response by the security personnel, as well retaliatory violence by protesters. They have called for the release of those illegally and arbitrarily detained and have called on regional authorities to press the Mozambique government and security forces to respect fundamental human rights.
VOA’s Jeff Custer contributed to this report.
