On a warm September morning in Maputo, President Daniel Chapo addressed a gathering of government officials, delegates, and opposition figures to declare “the start of a path in which Mozambique listens to itself, looks at itself in the mirror, and projects its future with the strength of its diversity”
At 48, Chapo is the country’s first leader born after independence. In a time when the nation was facing economic difficulties, a humanitarian crisis, and an armed rebellion in the north, and in the midst of post-election unrest, he assumed office in January.
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The new leader, however, claims that he has a plan to implement and a vision for the nation, starting with the two-year “inclusive national dialogue” he launched in the capital on September 10.
Speaking at the launch, Chapo addressed the representatives of various political parties, including Venancio Mondlane, a key figure in the post-election protests, saying that “all voices count, all hands help to build, and all dreams have their place.” “Not a single Mozambican is excluded”.
Chapo spoke with Al Jazeera for an in-depth interview a few weeks prior where he discussed the challenges and opportunities facing Mozambique and the dialogue he hopes will foster a more welcoming and peaceful future.
‘ 500 years of colonisation ‘
Old Portuguese colonial architecture squabbles against the wall with contemporary structures and makeshift structures outside the Maputo presidential palace.
Understanding Mozambique today requires understanding of its long history as a colony, its fierce struggle for independence, and the bloody civil war that his party, the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), successfully won by signing a peace deal with rebels from the Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) in 1992, Chapo said.
Sitting in a wood-panelled room in the palace, he explained: “]It was] 500 years of colonisation versus only 50 years of independence. And over one million Mozambicans were killed in 16 years of war, which destroyed public and private assets, factories, railroads, and factories.
Many of these difficulties were resolved, he claims, through concerted efforts to achieve country unity and listening and negotiation.
Portuguese colonialists first established control of Mozambique – a resource-rich Southern African nation on the Indian Ocean – in the 1500s. FRELIMO was established as an anticolonial liberation movement in the middle of the 20th century as African nations began to gain independence. In 1964, it launched an armed struggle for independence.
The coloniser, Chapo explained, “Mozambicans initially decided to achieve independence through diplomatic means, but regrettably, the coloniser chose not to do so.” “That is why Mozambique’s independence was achieved through armed struggle”.
The negotiated settlement they preferred eventually came to an end after ten years of fighting that resulted in the deaths of thousands of people.
The Lusaka Accord was signed in the capital of Zambia in September 1974, announcing a ceasefire. This led to Mozambique’s negotiated independence from Portugal by June the following year.
The country’s civil war came to an end with a similar strategy.
Rebels against FRELIMO were launched in 1977, just two years after independence, supported by apartheid South Africa, the Rhodesian white minority government, and others.
What followed was a decade and a half of brutality and upheaval during which a million people were killed and a third of Mozambicans were forced to flee their homes. The Rome General Peace Accords, signed in 1992, put an end to the war in Italy.
Chapo outlined the steps that led to peace by explaining who the RENAMO leadership was, who the organization was, and what its goals were. “We thought it was important]that] – while continuing an armed struggle to protect our population … we also had to pursue dialogue”.
Two key challenges
It’s crucial to find paths to peace, Chapo, a qualified lawyer who also worked as a broadcast journalist before he entered politics, says.
Mozambique’s independence from Portugal is celebrated this year. Chapo was born in 1977 after , the country had already gained its freedom. However, he was a child during the civil war, which has left behind scars that the nation is still working on.
He acknowledged the numerous issues that Mozambicans face, including feelings of social and economic isolation, youth anxiety, climate disasters, and the uprising in the resource-rich northern Cabo Delgado province, and acknowledged the numerous issues that plague them.
But he urged that the challenges be put into context, as many are not new.
Opposition parties made allegations of irregularities in the electoral process following the election in October of that year, which sparked weeks of nationwide public protests. Post-election unrest is a problem that Mozambique has dealt with since the end of the civil war, in the eyes of Chapo.
“Whenever there are elections every five years, peace is always at risk”, he said. Since 1994, there has never been an election that ended without some destabilization and violence. So the key question is now: Can we achieve unwavering economic, political, and social stability?
Chapo believes his government’s “policy of economic, social and political inclusion” will address this by “gradually allow]ing] every Mozambican – whether or not they belong to the ruling political party – to feel that development in Mozambique positively impacts them”.
The government’s top priorities appear to be easing the country’s problems, easing the tensions after the protests, and ending the rebellion in Cabo Delgado.
In some areas of Cabo Delgado province, an ISIL-affiliated armed group has launched attacks that have resulted in the deaths and displacement of thousands of civilians since 2017. Security analysts say some fighters are driven by perceived socio-economic exclusion in an area that’s also rich in natural gas reserves, but the group has not publicly stated its aims.
According to Chapo, the Mozambican armed forces are working against armed attacks while also supporting Rwandan, Tanzanian, and SADC (SADC) troops. He agrees, however, that more needs to be done to address the issues.
For both of the country’s two main struggles in 2025, Chapo goes back to the same proposed solution: negotiations.
He claimed that the new national dialogue was set up to address the needs and concerns of rival political parties. In addition, the government is attempting to understand the rebellion’s “leadership and motivations” in Cabo Delgado, just as FRELIMO did RENAMO in bringing an end to the civil war.
“Like with independence, after 500 years, and the civil war after 16 years, peace only came through dialogue”, Chapo said.
Even then, the situation only improved when Mozambicans “remained one and indivisible.”
Including all Mozambican citizens
Outside observers have expressed their concerns as the nation deals with its pressing issues.
Insecurity, Mozambique’s struggling economy, and years of institutional corruption are frequently discussed by Western institutions and analysts. The World Bank also lowered the country’s projected gross domestic product (GDP) growth to just 3 percent this year.
However, the government is focusing on areas of opportunity, and Chapo’s government ministers appear confident in the new leader’s plan to include all Mozambicans.
Antonio Grispos, the country’s secretary of state for commerce, told Al Jazeera, “President Chapo is someone with a clear vision for the path of development.” “He is not only by the numbers, but wants to share this]Mozambique’s resources] – to be visible to the communities]who own them]”.
Along with a foreign policy that emphasizes “more friends, fewer enemies,” Chapo is confident that Mozambique’s abundance of resources in agriculture, tourism, industry, energy, and mineral resources, such as gas, gold, and diamonds, will contribute to the country’s economy.
The president points to the accomplishments made despite the obstacles as being lagging behind in areas where the nation appears to be struggling.
“Before independence, we had only one university, today we have more than 50. Prior to independence, there were fewer than five doctors, but today there are more than 2, 000, he said. “Africa’s largest suspension bridge is also located in Mozambic,” he continued.
And while Mozambique had a longer, more arduous road to democracy than some of its neighbours, Chapo feels this was in some ways a blessing, as it helped it emerge in control of its own currency, central bank, land and resources – things some African nations are still fighting for.
“Even though it took longer than we believe it would have been worthwhile, it gave the Mozambican people and the land true freedom.”
‘ Resilient people ‘
Chapo acknowledges that the country has freedoms today, but more work is required to fortify unity and rekindle trust.
It contributes to the government’s national dialogue.
The initiative will bring together voices from across the spectrum – civil society, academia, youth, women, religious leaders and all political parties. Every Mozambican, regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation, must be regarded as Mozambican first, according to Chapo. “Our goal is to create inclusive governance,” Chapo said.
The president makes a crucial call for unity at this time. The dialogue initiative, if successful, could redefine relations between government and society, break the country’s cycle of electoral strife, and set Mozambique on a path to sustainable development. But many people who are still residing in poverty and violence still have skepticism and deep wounds.
Chapo, however, has a bright future and concludes with a long-term, ambitious plan to combat corruption, promote equality, promote diversity, and involve young people.
“For the next 50 years, our vision is peace, security, prosperity”, he said, “to build a developed, prosperous, sustainable Mozambique where all citizens share in the nation’s wealth”.
He thinks the only way for Mozambicans to achieve the presiding over their differences is through mutual understanding.
“Conflict resolution in every country shows that all wars end at the table,” according to the report from the UN. Mozambique will be no exception”, Chapo said, surrounded by a row of red, green, black and yellow Mozambican flags bearing the national symbols of an open book, a hoe and a rifle.
Source: Aljazeera
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