A national dialogue opened Thursday at the Presidential Palace in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, with political parties and civil society involved to find solutions to the post-electoral crisis that has been affecting the country since October. The dialogue was attended by representatives from major political parties including Frelimo, Renamo, Podemos, MDM, and Nova Democracia, aiming to create a sustainable and inclusive process for resolving the country's political challenges. Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi stressed the need for a comprehensive approach to resolving the electoral crisis, one that includes all sectors of society and ensures that all voices are heard. We need to find a solution that covers all Mozambicans, Nyusi said. We need to find a space for the participation of society so that it is not a matter discussed by a group of people and that people feel excluded in this process. The dialogue also focused on the ongoing reforms, including the decentralization process and potential constitutional revisions. There are reforms that can take us to the revision of the Constitution to accommodate the interests of the Mozambican people, Nyusi stated. The dialogue's focus on electoral reform, national reconciliation and peace came at a time when the country is grappling with significant political divisions. On Dec. 23 last year, Mozambique's Constitutional Council (CC), the body in charge of constitutional and electoral affairs, proclaimed Daniel Chapo, the presidential candidate of the ruling party Frelimo, as the winner of the Oct. 9 general elections. Chapo won 65.17 percent of the votes. Venancio Mondlane, supported by the extra-parliamentary Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique or Podemos, obtained 24.19 percent of the votes. Thursday's meeting was held on the same day when presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane, who refuted the election results and called for national protests, returned to Mozambique almost two and a half months after leaving the country. Local media reported that more than 100 civilians have died in the post-election chaos, and hundreds have been injured.
