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Mozambique inaugurates new president , Wednesday
Mozambique President-elect Daniel Chapo will be sworn into office Wednesday after weeks of deadly political unrest but the main opposition leader has vowed to “paralyse” the country with fresh protests against the fiercely disputed election result.
Venancio Mondlane had already called for a national strike in the days leading up to the inauguration and threatened on Tuesday to curtail the new government with daily demonstrations.
Mondlane, 50, who is popular with the youth, maintains the October 9 polls were rigged in favour of Chapo’s Frelimo party, which has governed the gas-rich African country since independence from Portugal in 1975.
“This regime does not want peace,” Mondlane said in an address on Facebook Tuesday, adding his communications team was met with bullets on the streets this week.
“We’ll protest every single day. If it means paralysing the country for the entire term, we will paralyse it for the entire term.”
Chapo, 48, called for stability on Monday, telling journalists at the national assembly “we can continue to work and together, united… to develop our country”.
International observers have said the election was marred by irregularities, while the EU mission condemned what it called the “unjustified alteration of election results”.
The swearing in ceremony was expected to be snubbed by foreign heads of state, a move “which sends a strong message”, Maputo-based political and security risk analyst Johann Smith told AFP.
Former colonial ruler Portugal is sending Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel.
“Even from a regional point of view there is a hesitancy to acknowledge or recognise that Chapo won the election,” Smith said, pointing out that neighbouring South Africa’s president would also not be attending.
The extent of the unrest from now on “depends on how Chapo will tackle the crisis”, analyst Borges Nhamirre told AFP.
The inauguration of parliamentary lawmakers Monday was held amid relative calm in the capital, Maputo.
The streets were deserted, with most shops closed either in protest against the ceremony or out of fear of violence, while military police surrounded the parliament building and police blocked main roads.
Still, at least six people were killed in the Inhambane and Zambezia regions north of the capital, according to local civil society group Plataforma Decide.
– Possible concessions –
Unrest since the election has claimed 300 lives, according to the group’s tally, with security forces accused of using excessive force against demonstrators. Police officers have also died, according to the authorities.
Chapo, who is expected to announce his new government this week, could make concessions by appointing opposition members to ministerial posts to quell the unrest, said Eric Morier-Genoud, an African history professor at Queen’s University Belfast.
There have also been calls for dialogue but Mondlane has been excluded from talks that Chapo and outgoing President Filipe Nyusi have opened with the leaders of the main political parties.
Chapo has repeatedly said however that he would include Mondlane in talks.
Mondlane, who returned to Mozambique last week after going into hiding abroad following the October 19 assassination of his lawyer, has said he was ready for talks.
“I’m here in the flesh to say that if you want to negotiate… I’m here,” he said.
According to official results, Chapo won 65 percent of the presidential vote, compared to 24 percent for Mondlane.
But the opposition leader claims that he won 53 percent and that Mozambique’s election institutions manipulated the results.
Frelimo parliamentarians also dominate the 250-seat national assembly with 171 seats compared to the Podemos party’s 43.
News
Peter Obi visits Niger explosion site, cemetery, traditional council, calls for safety measures (Photos)
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
IMr. Peter Obi, Presidential candidate and a respected advocate for good governance, visited the site of the recent tragic petrol tanker explosion along the Dikko-Maje Road in Suleja Local Government Area, Niger State.
The devastating incident claimed over 100 lives, left more than 50 people injured, and destroyed several shops and properties in the area.
At the site of the explosion and the graveyard where about 80 of the victims were buried, Mr. Obi expressed deep sorrow and described the tragedy as a heartbreaking and preventable loss. He also visited some of the victims receiving treatment at the Hospital.
Speaking with journalists, Mr. Obi expressed deep concern over the rising frequency of such accidents, stating:
“These tragic incidents, which have sadly become increasingly recurrent, underscore the urgent need for stricter safety measures. Addressing the dangers of tanker explosions and similar occurrences requires immediate action, including the repair of existing roads and targeted efforts to lift people out of poverty. By prioritizing safety and economic stability, we can prevent the devastating loss of lives and properties, particularly among poor Nigerians who risk their lives scooping fuel from fallen petrol tankers.”
During his visit, Mr. Obi met with the Sarkin Dikko and members of the traditional council to convey his condolences personally. He expressed solidarity with the affected families and the people of Niger State.
Mr. Peter Obi expressed his gratitude to the Niger State Government and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for their intervention efforts so far. He pledged to contribute to assisting the families of the victims and to supporting micro-businesses within the community, aiming to help rebuild their livelihoods and foster economic resilience.
A safe and economically viable Nigeria is possible.
PO
News
TikTok Useless Without U.S. Govt – Trump Declares
President Donald Trump declared TikTok “worthless” without U.S. government approval during remarks on Tuesday. He floated a controversial idea for prospective buyers: “Buy it and give half to the United States of America. Half, and we’ll give you the permit.”
TikTok faces pressure to find a U.S. buyer due to a federal law banning its operation unless “significant progress” is made toward a sale.
An executive order signed by Trump on Monday grants a 75-day extension for a deal. China has criticized the U.S. stance, urging the creation of a fair business environment for all enterprises, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun.
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Just in: Troops capture Boko Haram Commander, Abu Iklima, fighters neutralised
Nigerian troops participating in Operation Hadin Kai have detained Abu Iklima, a senior Boko Haram commander.
Prior to his capture, Iklima was in charge of Gaizuwa, also known as Mantari, Gabchari, Kashimiri, and Maimusari, in the Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
Iklima’s enclave was demolished by the soldiers, and hundreds of his fighters were slain, according to Zagazola Makama, a counter terrorism and insurgency expert from the Lake Chad Basin.
According to the report: “This Abu Iklima, a top commander of Boko Haram, was commanding Gaizuwa, otherwise known as Mantari, Gabchari, Kashimiri, and Maimusari in Bama Local Government Area.
“His enclave was severely destroyed by troops of Operation Hadin Kai, with hundreds of fighters neutralized.
“The man attempted to escape, but he was captured like a chicken.”
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