Daniel Chapo: Mozambique to elect new president amid wave of protests

Before becoming the presidential candidate of the ruling Frelimo party, he was a radio and television host, a legal notary, a university lecturer and a provincial governor before rising to the position of secretary general in Frelimo.

Speaking at a recent birthday celebration, Chapo himself admitted that there are difficult challenges ahead of him as president.

“We need to rebuild our country economically… it is easy to destroy it, but it is not an easy task to build it.”

According to him, national reconciliation, creating more jobs, reforming electoral laws and decentralizing power are on his agenda.

But how successful can it be without the country behind it?

At the very least, it will mark a change from President Felipe Nyusi, whom Ms Chitsungo said many Mozambicans would be happy to see behind them.

“Chapo is a figure of dialogue and consensus, not someone who perpetuates Nyusi’s violent style of governance. He has the potential to negotiate with Mondlane.

“Although Chapo doesn’t fully meet all of Mondley’s requirements, I believe he can meet at least 50% of them,” adds Ms Chitsungo.

Mondlain – a part-time pastor and an independent candidate who insists he is the real winner of the election – is said to be holed up in a hotel in the capital. It is not known what kind of security he had there and who paid for it.

He claims that a vendor near him was shot while walking through a market in Maputo last week. He repeats the killing of two of his close aides in October.

As an organizer of nationwide protests against the disputed election results, he came to be seen by many as the voice of the voiceless. However, the current president-elect’s camp is clearly not appealing to him.

Nevertheless, listening to the public’s grievances and demands and sometimes ignoring orders from his ruling Frelimo party will be key to Chapo’s success, analysts told the BBC.

Finding a way to engage constructively with Mondlane would certainly be a boost.