Mozambique's President-elect Daniel Chapo will face an uphill battle in ending the country's post-election crisis, portending sustained disruptions to economic activity and regional trade that will increase incentives for Chapo to compromise with opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, but such an agreement would risk triggering infighting within the ruling Frelimo party. On Dec. 23, Mozambique's Constitutional Council confirmed that ruling Frelimo party candidate Daniel Chapo won the presidential race in the country's disputed Oct. 9 general election, defeating opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane. Following the ruling, Chapo announced plans to hold a reconciliation and dialogue initiative after his inauguration on Jan. 15. Despite this, the Constitutional Council's announcement triggered a fresh round of unrest, with Mondlane's supporters quickly retaking to the streets to heed his earlier call for mass demonstrations if the council endorsed what Mondlane and many Western election observers described as rigged elections. The intensified protests have been met with...
