Bombay Durpun - Mozambique's new president vows 'unity' as sworn in amid deadly protests

Chapo, 48, who was previously a little-known provincial governor, extends his Frelimo party's 50-year rule of the gas-rich African nation after October's contested election.

Supporters of opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane, who insists he won the vote, have protested for months, sometimes drawing a violent police response.

As he was sworn in, Chapo vowed "to devote all my energies to defending, promoting and consolidating national unity, human rights, democracy and the well-being of the Mozambican people".

With the sound of helicopters overhead, Chapo said during his inaugural speech that political dialogue was already under way and that "social harmony could not wait".

"We won't rest until we have a united and cohesive country on the road to building well-being for all of us," he said.

"It won't be an easy journey, but we have to have full confidence in the strength of the Mozambican people, of our national unity."

His vow came after Mondlane threatened on the eve of the inauguration to "paralyse" the new government with daily demonstrations.

Mondlane, 50, who is popular with the youth, accuses the Frelimo party of rigging the election. Frelimo has governed Mozambique since independence from Portugal in 1975.

"This regime does not want peace," Mondlane said in an address on Facebook Tuesday, adding that his communications team was met with bullets on the streets this week.

"We'll protest every single day. If it means paralysing the country for the entire term, we will paralyse it for the entire term."

International observers have said the election was marred by irregularities. The EU mission condemned what it called the "unjustified alteration of election results".

Neighbouring South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the inauguration, while Portugal sent Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel.

Unrest since the election has claimed more than 300 lives, according to local civil society group Plataforma Decide, with security forces accused of using excessive force against demonstrators. Police officers have also died, according to the authorities.

Chapo, who is expected to announce his new government this week, could make concessions by appointing opposition members to ministerial posts to quell the unrest, said Eric Morier-Genoud, an African history professor at Queen's University Belfast.

- Deserted streets -

In his inaugural speech, Chapo said he would make changes, creating an independent police watchdog with civilian oversight.

"Its mission will be to investigate possible misconduct attributed to members of the police force," he said.

Police and other security forces blocked traffic in the capital and around Independence Square, where the swearing-in was held.

Military planes and helicopters circled Maputo and its suburbs while many streets remained deserted, an AFP reporter said.

The extent of the unrest from now on "depends on how Chapo will tackle the crisis", analyst Borges Nhamirre told AFP.

Responding to calls for dialogue, Chapo has said that he would include Mondlane in talks.

Mondlane, who returned to Mozambique last week after going into hiding abroad, has said he was ready for talks.

"I'm here in the flesh to say that if you want to negotiate... I'm here," he said.

According to official results, Chapo won 65 percent of the presidential vote, compared to 24 percent for Mondlane.

Frelimo parliamentarians also dominate the 250-seat national assembly with 171 seats compared to the Podemos party's 43.

B.Chakrabarti--BD