Venancio Mandlan from Mozambique is ready to work in Daniel Chapo’s government

Mozambique’s main opposition leader Venancio Mandlan has told the BBC he is ready to serve in government if President Daniel Chapa meets his demands to end the political crisis that has gripped the country since disputed elections.

Chapo said he had created a team that was “considering” whether to invite his rival to the new “inclusive” government.

Both men outlined their positions in separate interviews with the BBC, giving the impression that they were ready for a rapprochement following the deaths of around 300 people in the post-election riots.

Mundlein dismissed his defeat in the October election, saying the results were rigged – something Chapo denied.

The Supreme Court of Mozambique declared Chapo the winner with 65% of the vote to Mandlan’s 24%.

Chapo was the candidate of the ruling Frelim party, as his predecessor Filipe Nyusi was forced to resign after two terms in office.

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

Mundlein told the BBC that Chapo was “forced” on the nation and was “the president of the defense forces”.

Mundlein said he nevertheless decided to suspend the protests for the first 100 days of his opponent’s term, provided he does the following:

• to unconditionally release about 5,000 people detained for participating in demonstrations against the election results
• to pay financial compensation to the families of people killed by the police during the protests and
• offer free treatment to about 200 people injured by the police.

Mundlein said that if Chapo agreed to it, he would “open a window” for negotiations or otherwise call on his supporters to resume protests.

When asked if he was ready to work in Chapo’s government, Mandlon said: “Yes, if he has a genuine interest in working with me. He has the opportunity to invite me to the dialogue table.”

In an interview with the BBC, Chapo said he wanted to “govern inclusively” and introduce reforms to address problems with electoral law, human rights and freedom of speech.

According to him, negotiations are now underway with opposition parties represented in the new parliament and will later be expanded to include “all sections of society.”

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

When asked whether he thought Mondlane could work in government, Chapeau said: “It will depend… because there is a team that is looking at it now depending on the profile of the people, their competencies, their meritocracy, patriotism – all these premises to which I refer.

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

At the age of 47, Chapo was chosen by Frelimo, in power since independence 49 years ago, as a candidate to rally young voters suffering from high unemployment and fed up with the party’s years of rule.

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

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

Mondlane, 50, was seen to enjoy strong support among young people after he rallied them during the election campaign under the slogan “Save Mozambique – this country is ours”.

He ran as an independent candidate after breaking away from the main opposition Renamo party.

A small party that supported his candidacy won several seats in the parliament.