SADC Mandates Panel of Elders to Help Resolve Post-Election Crisis in Mozambique

MANDATE: The Panel is expected to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairperson of the SADC Organ, Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, by January 15, 2025. (Photo: South African Presidency)

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has mandated a panel of elders to engage with the Mozambican government and opposition leaders to solve the country’s political and security challenges.

The body also directed its Inter-State Defence and Security Committee to propose measures to protect regional trade routes, humanitarian corridors, and energy supplies while working toward solutions to Mozambique’s post-election crisis.

SADC held a virtual Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Organ Troika on January 5, 2025, to address the escalating crisis following the disputed elections.

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, Malawian Foreign Affairs Minister Nancy Gladys Tembo, Tanzanian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, Ministers from the SADC Organ Troika Member States, and the Executive Secretary of SADC Elias Magosi were also in attendance.

The SADC Troika comprises Malawi, Zambia, and the United Republic of Tanzania.

In a media statement on December 31, 2024, Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation and Tanzanian president, said the organ is concerned about the situation in Mozambique and appealed for an immediate cessation of all hostilities.

“We are deeply concerned by the continued loss of lives, injuries, [the] destruction of private property and public infrastructure. The current situation has also caused significant economic challenges for the nation, disrupted cross-border trade, and hindered the free movement of people,” said Hassan. “The SADC calls upon all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from actions that escalate violence and unrest. It also reaffirms readiness to assist, through appropriate mechanisms, in facilitating a peaceful resolution to the existing challenges.”

The Summit noted with concern the deteriorating post-election political and security situation in Mozambique, including the country’s socio-economic impact and the adverse effects on the supply chains of essential commodities.

Mozambique has been engulfed in violent unrest since the disputed general elections held on October 9, 2024. The ruling Frelimo party declared victory, a result contested by opposition parties citing allegations of widespread electoral fraud.

Tensions were further exacerbated when the Constitutional Council announced official results on December 23, 2024, upholding Frelimo’s victory.

The post-election unrest has claimed the lives of more than 200 people, including children and bystanders, and displaced thousands of others. Businesses in major cities, including the capital Maputo, have also been forced to shut down due to safety concerns.

TENSE: Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across Mozambique, voicing their anger and frustration over the country’s recent general election results. Reports indicate that at least 130 people have died since Christmas and over 2,000 families have fled to Malawi for refuge. (Photos: Manuel Mucari).

On December 25, 2023, chaos reached new heights when more than 6,000 inmates, including convicted terrorists, escaped from a high-security prison in Maputo.

Reports indicate that at least 130 people have died since Christmas, with human rights organisations accusing the government of using excessive force to suppress opposition protests.

The violent protests have led to a humanitarian crisis, with over 2,000 families reportedly having fled to neighbouring Malawi for refuge.

The upcoming inauguration of President-elect Daniel Chapo, a candidate of the governing Frelimo party, scheduled for January 15, has added a volatile layer to the crisis.

Mozambican opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane, who fled the country in October following the assassination of his aide and lawyer, has announced plans to return from exile and declare himself president on the same day, raising fears of further unrest.

To address these challenges, the SADC Summit mandated the SADC Panel of Elders to engage with the government of Mozambique and opposition leaders. The panel will be supported by the Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO) Troika Member States and the SADC Secretariat.

The Panel is expected to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairperson of the SADC Organ by January 15, 2025.

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