The President of the Constitutional Council as just sworn in Daniel Chapo as the fifth President of the Republic of Mozambique, in a ceremony that is taking place in the centre of Maputo under tight security measures.
Chapo read the terms of office and took the oath to the applause of the guests.
As planned in the ceremony programme, the President of the Constitutional Council, Lúcia Ribeiro, received the symbols of power from the outgoing President, Filipe Nyusi, and a few minutes later swore in Daniel Chapo as the new President of the Republic of Mozambique.
The ceremony is taking place at Independence Square, in the centre of Maputo, under heavy security measures outside and at the entrance to the venue, in view of the announcement of demonstrations and protests, called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who does not recognise the results of the elections of 9 October, which have already caused 300 deaths and more than 600 gunshot wounds, according to organisations on the ground.
According to the official programme for today’s ceremony, the inauguration will be followed by official speeches, cultural moments, 21 cannon salutes and the review of the Guard of Honour of the Armed Forces of Defence of Mozambique by the new commander-in-chief, Daniel Chapo, as well as a military parade.
Current secretary-general of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), Daniel Chapo was governor of the province of Inhambane when, in May 2024, he was chosen by the Central Committee to be the ruling party’s candidate to succeed Filipe Nyusi, who served two terms as President of the Republic.
On December 23, Daniel Chapo, 48 years old, was proclaimed by the Constitutional Council as the winner of the election for President of the Republic, with 65.17% of the votes, in the general elections of October 9, which included legislative and provincial assembly elections, which Frelimo also won.
Graduated in Law from the Faculty of Law of Eduardo Mondlane University, in Maputo, in 2000, Daniel Francisco Chapo was born in Inhaminga, Sofala province, central Mozambique, on January 6, 1977, making him the first President of the Republic born after the country’s independence (1975).
In an exclusive interview with Lusa on October 4, Daniel Chapo stated that he had never considered running for President, but that he received this “mission” to “serve the people”.
“No, because in Frelimo you receive missions. I never imagined that I would be a district administrator, but later, as a member of Frelimo, I was called to this mission, to direct the district of Nacala-Velha, in Nampula. I was also later given the mission to direct the district of Palma in Cabo Delgado, when the gas projects began, and then also to become governor of Inhambane”, he explained.
The Presidents of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, and Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, are the only heads of state present at today’s ceremony, with 2,500 guests.
In addition to the two Heads of State, three vice-presidents are present, namely from Tanzania, Malawi and Kenya, as well as the prime ministers of Eswatini and Rwanda and eight ministers, including the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Paulo Rangel.
The election of Daniel Chapo has been contested in the streets since October, with pro-Mondlane protesters – a candidate who according to the Constitutional Council obtained only 24% of the votes but who claims victory – in protests demanding the “reestablishment of the electoral truth, with barricades, looting and clashes with the police, who have been firing shots in an attempt to demobilize the movement.
Club of Mozambique
