Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Mozambican president today called the new composition of the Council of State, which now includes former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, a “dream team”, following the inauguration ceremony in Maputo.
“Looking at the quality and profile of the members that make up this body, if we were in a sports context, we would say that this State Council is a true dream team, because it is made up of stars from the most diverse backgrounds and sons of this nation. Therefore, the people have high expectations regarding the performance of this body,” President Daniel Chapo said after inaugurating the body for the 2025-2029 term, followed by its first regular meeting.
For the head of state, who argued in his speech that the Mozambican people demand “hate-free” speeches from politicians, the inauguration of the new Council of State “represents the addition of another bloc” to the “endeavour of consolidating Mozambican multiparty democracy, strengthening the democratic rule of law, and deepening national reconciliation,” where “diverging opinions must coexist harmoniously”.
“This Council of State has special significance in the context of consolidating democracy in Mozambique because, for the first time in the history of this country, this body will bring together, in the same mission of the Mozambican state, all the presidents of the political parties with seats in parliament,” Chapo noted, also highlighting the presence of the second-most-voted-for presidential candidate – as required by the Constitution – Venâncio Mondlane, among the more than 20 sworn in.
“First, it reveals the importance that political parties place on this body as a viable platform for advising the head of state. Second, the fact that the body brings together figures with different political ideologies will make its decisions more representative of the thinking of all the Mozambican people. Third, it represents the deepening of democracy and the strengthening of the democratic rule of law in Mozambique,” Chapo added, emphasizing that it also “symbolizes the need to consolidate our national reconciliation and our peace” and “reveals the need for the ongoing deepening of national unity”.
Sworn-in this morning were historic members of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo, in power): Alberto Joaquim Chipande, Graça Machel, Eduardo Silva Nihia, and Felizarda de Boaventura Paulino, “personalities of recognized merit appointed by the President of the Republic for the term of his term.”
Also sworn in today as members of the Council of State were the President of the Assembly of the Republic, Margarida Talapa; the Prime Minister, Maria Benvinda Levy; the President of the Constitutional Council, Lúcia Ribeiro; the Ombudsman, Isac Chande; former Presidents of the Republic Joaquim Chissano, Emílio Guebuza, and Filipe Nyusi; and former Speakers of Parliament Eduardo Joaquim Mulémbwè, Verónica Macamo, and Esperança Bias.
The Council of State also includes, among others, Albino Forquilha, Ossufo Momade, and Lutero Simango, respectively presidents of the three largest opposition parties – Podemos, Renamo, and the MDM – chosen by parliament. It also includes Venâncio Mondlane, the second most voted presidential candidate.
The Constitution of the Republic defines the Council of State as a “political advisory body to the President”, who presides over it, and that its members “enjoy privileges, immunities, and formal treatment to be established by law”.
Venâncio Mondlane led the strongest opposition to the election results since the first multiparty elections (1994), with protests in which around 400 people lost their lives due to clashes with the police, which also resulted in looting and destruction of businesses and public infrastructure.
The Mozambican Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) accused Mondlane in July of calling for a “revolution” in the post-election protests, provoking “panic” and “terror” among the population, holding him responsible for the deaths and for plunging the country into “chaos”.
On March 5, Mozambican political parties signed a political commitment with the President of Mozambique, aiming for state reforms, which was later enacted into law.
On March 23, Mondlane and Chapo met for the first time and committed to ending the post-election violence. They met again on May 21 with the aim of further pacifying the country.
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