Venâncio Mondlane, Mozambique’s opposition leader, has made a bold return to his home country after being in exile.
He landed at the main airport in Maputo, the capital, on Thursday morning, where thousands of supporters had gathered to welcome him.
The atmosphere was tense, with heavy security presence, as Mondlane’s return comes just ahead of President-elect Daniel Chapo’s swearing-in ceremony next week.
Mondlane, who claims the October presidential election was stolen from him, stated that he returned to be closer to the protest movement, which has seen nationwide demonstrations and dozens of fatalities.
In a symbolic gesture, Mondlane knelt on the ground with a Bible in hand, praying and swearing to serve the people of Mozambique as their elected president, not one appointed by the court.
In his first comments, Mondlane expressed his willingness to negotiate a resolution to the tension surrounding the disputed election. “I’m here in the flesh to say that if you want to negotiate… I’m here,” he said. Mondlane has been organizing protests through Facebook broadcasts and had announced his return over the weekend, saying, “If [the authorities] want, they can kill me, but the fight will continue.”
The airport was heavily guarded, with police officers blocking roads and restricting access to the area.
Despite the challenges, Mondlane’s supporters managed to gather, cheering him on as he emerged from the airport building.
