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Ranga Mataire
Group Political Editor
FOR the Mozambican leader, President Daniel Chapo, coming to Zimbabwe is like coming to a second home as he received part of his educational training in the country and is well conversant in Shona, one of the country’s official languages.
But that’s not all, Zimbabwe is Mozambique’s closet neighbour and the two countries share long historical ties dating back to the liberation struggle as the latter provided sanctuaries for military bases and camps for refugees.
Despite being born two years after his country gained independence from Portugal in 1975, President Chapo is quite conscious of the historical ties that bind the two countries. It was thus not a surprise that his first visit after being declared a Frelimo presidential candidate was to Zimbabwe.
It was during that visit in June last year when he paid a courtesy call on President Mnangagwa at State House where his appreciation of the two countries’ closeness was laid bare, declaring: “Mozambique is Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe is Mozambique. We want to continue to fight to develop our countries and to get peace.”
Such is the importance of Zimbabwe in the geo-political matrix of Mozambique’s foreign policy that Cde Chapo’s first official State visit after being inaugurated President is Zimbabwe. President Chapo arrived in Bulawayo yesterday to officially open the 65th Zimbabwe International Trade Fair today.
A well-grounded and educated man, Cde Chapo spent the better part of his adult life as a civil servant. His work as a civil servant might have been the basis for honing his administrative skills and nurtured his empathy for the people and the call for national politics.
Early Life
Born on January 6, 1977, President Chapo is a lawyer, a jurist and former radio presenter. He was born in Inhaminga, Sofala Province and did his early education at Inhaminga from 1982 to 1985. He later proceeded to Dondo District from 1986 to 1987, and had secondary education in the same district from 1988 to 1997. After finishing high schooling, the young Chapo enrolled at Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo where he studied law and graduated in 2000. He was authorised to practice law in 2004.
Not content with having an undergraduate degree, Chapo, who at this time had already worked as an announcer for Radior Miramar in Beira from 1997 to 1998 and at Television Miramar from 2003 to 2004, decided to undertake a Master’s degree in Development from the Catholic University of Mozambique in 2014.
His formal entrance into politics with Frelimo was heralded by his appointment in 2009 as the administrator of Nacala-a-Velha District and later moved to Palma District in 2015 in the same position. His breakthrough as a senior government employee came when he was appointed the Governor of Inhambane Province on March 4, 2016, a position that he was elected to when the constitution was changed during the general elections of October 2019.
Just before the presidential polls, Cde Chapo was appointed the party’s interim secretary general and later resigned from his position as governor of Inhambane Province. He became the first Frelimo presidential candidate to have been born after the country’s independence from Portugal.
His Presidency
Mozambique has had a new dynamic of governance since Cde Chapo’s assumption of power. He took office at a time when some protests called by losing candidate Venacio Mondlane had affected the business environment.
However, in his inauguration speech, he promised changes at the highest level as well as the implementation of mechanisms to boost socio-economic development. President Chapo promised to work to combat poverty, kidnappings, corruption, nepotism, favouritism, inequality, exclusion, bureaucracy and complacency in the state apparatus.
The highlight of President Chapo’s presidency thus far is his “100 Days of Governance Plan,” approved in February at a session of the Council of Ministers. The document articulates priority actions aimed at directly impacting the well-being of Mozambicans with the main areas of intervention being social stability, politics, education, health, fight against corruption, youth employment, infrastructure, public service, justice, agriculture, food security, economic growth and resource mobilisation.
Although its early days yet, many analysts agree that there have been some changes particularly in the rehabilitation of essential infrastructure such as the Nacala-Cuamba (Nampula), Maputo-Matola (Maputo province), Beira-Chimoio (Manica) and Tete-Zobue (Tete province) sections. The aim is to improve connectivity and facilitate the movement of people and goods and in turn stimulate trade.
Top on his action plan had been the reduction of fuel prices as well as a credit line of more than US$150 million dollars to help companies affected by the protests.
During his first 50 days, President Chapo introduced a Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption in place until the end of the year for sugar, edible oils and soaps as well as raw materials and machinery with the aim of easing the cost of living.
While others have described President Chapo’s policies as populist, some believe he has demonstrated an effort to improve the country’s socio-economic conditions and are a solid foundation for development.
In addition to economic issues, President Chapo has continued with political dialogue initiated by former President Filipe Nyusi.
President Chapo is intent on making a huge impact in reviving the economy judging by his advocacy for local resources utilisation. He has consistently emphasised the need for unity, peace, security and dialogue among citizens.
“We develop Mozambique with peace, with dialogue, with harmony, with security and by talking. You don’t win an election by being a one-man-show,” President Chapo said in the wake of violent opposition protests that ensured after the announcement of the October 9 elections.
Foreign Policy
President Chapo’s foreign policy finds resonance with President Mnangagwa’s “friend to all and enemy to none” thrust. Just like President Mnangagwa, Cde Chapo believes economic diplomacy will carry the day for Mozambique.
In summary, the coming of President Chapo to Zimbabwe is not just an act of diplomatic etiquette or some kind of passage of rite. Rather, his acceptance of the invitation to officiate at the ZITF is born out of his belief in regional cooperation as the panacea for uplifting citizens.
As described by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Mozambique, Victor Matemadanda, the new Mozambican President is a development oriented leader who has had some educational training in Zimbabwe making him multilingual as he is conversant in English, Portuguese, Shona and his native language.
Online Reporter