Mozambique's Election Runner-Up Agrees To Talks To End Protests

The runner-up in the October 9 presidential election, Venancio Mondlane, has agreed to a proposal by outgoing President Filipe Nyusi for a national dialogue to help end weeks of post-election protests in the country. The talks were restricted to only the main contenders, but Mondlane said the talks should be open to other stakeholders, because "the issue of fundamental rights is not the exclusive monopoly of political parties".

The opposition politician, who is currently out of the country, said that he will only participate via a video link, while also demanding that all ongoing legal processes against him, including orders for his arrest and the blocking of his bank accounts, be "immediately cancelled".

Protests broke out when the electoral commission declared the ruling Frelimo party candidate Daniel Chapo winner with nearly 71% of the vote. Mondlane's Podemos party, which the commission said came in second with 20%, challenged the result.