Mozambique's opposition leader says Nyusi sworn-in ceremony is illegal

The leader of Mozambique's main opposition party Renamo, Afonso Dhlakama, said in central Manica province that Thursday's sworn-in ceremony of Filipe Nyusi as new president of the republic is illegal.

"This sworn-in ceremony is illegal," said Dhlakama to a dozen of his supporters in that province.

He also said in an interview to the Maputo-based Portuguese Agency Lusa that he expects from the new president the resolution of the outstanding issues left by former president Armando Guebuza.

Among the problems the main opposition leader expects to see them solved, there is the integration of his party's former militants into the Mozambique Armed Forces and to the police force as part of the agreement to end hostilities in the country signed early in September last year.

While the sworn-in ceremony took place in the country's capital Maputo, the leader of the main opposition traveled to central Zambezia province to visit the areas and the victims of floods that isolated the central from the northern part of the country and some districts within the province itself.

The new president as well, in his first speech to the nation that lasted nearly 40 minutes, sent condolences and messages of comforts to the victims of floods and also the families of those poisoned after drinking a local beer in central Tete province, and said that government will continue reinforcing efforts to help the victims.

The main opposition party has also boycotted the sworn-in ceremonies of provincial assemblies and the new Mozambican parliament.

Nevertheless, the new president said that his government will be inclusive and that he will be taking ideas of every Mozambicans regardless of their political affiliation.

The new government is expected to be announced in the coming days after the last having been dismissed by the former president, Armando Guebuza. Endi