Opponents say more than 300 people have been killed in protests alleging election fraud, and security was tightened around the ceremony.
Daniel Chapo, a member of the Frelimo party that has ruled Mozambique for many years, has been sworn in as president.
Chapo took the oath in front of about 1,500 supporters on Wednesday, pledging to defend democracy and human rights. Meanwhile, one NGO estimates that more than 300 people have been killed in protests alleging election fraud.
Chapo, who was largely unknown before last October’s election, spoke at a sparsely attended ceremony and vowed to protect, promote and strengthen “national unity, human rights, democracy and the welfare of the Mozambican people.” He promised to “dedicate” all his energy to.
The 48-year-old also promised to reduce the size of government by cutting the number of ministries, tackle youth unemployment and prioritize health and education.
The city center was largely deserted, but security forces blocked roads throughout Maputo and around Independence Square, where the oath was taken.
President Cyril Ramaphosa of neighboring South Africa was one of the few heads of state to attend the inauguration.
paralyzed
Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane came second in the vote, according to official results, but insists he should have won.
The 50-year-old, who is popular among young people, claims the Oct. 9 poll was rigged in favor of Frelimo, which has ruled Mozambique since independence from Portugal in 1975.
International observers said the election was marred by fraud, and the EU delegation condemned “unwarranted tampering of the election results.”
After months of protests, the government responded with a crackdown.
Local civil society group Plataforma Deicide claimed that more than 300 people have been killed in clashes with security forces since the October 9 vote.
Mr Mondlane, who returned from self-imposed exile last week, threatened to “paralyze” the new government with daily demonstrations and appealed to his supporters to continue demonstrating against the result.
“We will protest every day. If it means paralyzing the country for an entire term, we will paralyze the country for an entire term,” he declared.
The post-election protests against Frelimo are the largest in Mozambique’s history, affecting foreign companies operating in the resource-rich South African country of 35 million people.
Despite these wealth, most of the country’s population still lives in poverty, and Frelimo’s opponents blame the party for endemic corruption, years of economic decline, unemployment and armed conflict in the north. I am doing it.
