Mozambique president calls opposition leader to vote talks

 

Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi urged the main opposition leader to join talks on a deadly post-vote standoff as he met briefly Tuesday with three other candidates in the disputed early October election.

Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, who is believed to have left the country since the ballot, said last week he would only attend virtually and on certain conditions, including the scrapping of legal proceedings against him related to the post-vote violence.

He said on Facebook Tuesday that the president had not responded to his conditions or sent him a link so he could participate online.

Nyusi had invited the four presidential candidates to meet after weeks of demonstrations against the October 9 election called by Mondlane, who claims to have won the disputed poll.

A local rights group says at least 65 people have been killed in a police crackdown on the demonstrations. Nyusi has said 19 people died, including five police officers.

Nyusi said all the parties needed to be involved in the dialogue, including Mondlane.

"If we knew where he was, I could suggest that we meet him there, but we don't know where he is," Nyusi told reporters after meeting the other three party leaders.

"We will endeavour to ensure that he is here," the outgoing president added. "If the country has to be stable for his safety, then we'll do it."

Mondlane claims the vote was rigged in favour of Nyusi's Frelimo party, whose candidate Daniel Chapo was announced to have won 71 percent against his 20 percent.

Rights groups have accused Mozambique authorities of using excessive force on demonstrators in the impoverished country, which has been governed by Frelimo since independence from Portugal in 1975.

Nyusi reaches the end of his constitutionally limited two terms in January when he is expected to hand over to Chapo.