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Mozambique Protests Escalate Amid Election Tensions
Tear gas and live ammunition have been deployed during rising protests in Mozambique, as allegations of tampered election results linger. The unrest is centered around the recent elections held on October 9, with observers from the European Union (EU) claiming to have identified irregularities in the vote count.
On Monday, large crowds responded to calls for protest from independent presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane. He attributes the unrest to the actions of security forces, specifically referencing the recent killings of his lawyer, Elvino Dias, and political official Paulo Guambe, who were shot in the same vehicle last Friday. The authorities, however, deny any involvement in these tragic incidents.
The upcoming announcement of official election results is scheduled for Friday. However, the EU’s observer mission reported finding evidence of “irregularities during counting and unjustified alteration of election results at polling station and district level.” They are demanding that electoral authorities ensure transparency and accountability in the tabulation of results.
Additional concerns have emerged from the International Republican Institute, which reported instances of vote-buying, inflated voter registrations in areas loyal to the ruling Frelimo party, and voter intimidation during the electoral process. Meanwhile, Mozambique’s electoral commission’s official results website has been inactive following a reported cyber-attack, raising further doubts about the integrity of the electoral process.
Venâncio Mondlane, supported by the opposition party Podemos, has already declared himself the victor in the elections, asserting that the violence against his aides was politically motivated. He characterized the actions of the security forces as criminal, specifically accusing them of murdering Dias.
In response to the violence, Mondlane mobilized protests in various cities across Mozambique, denouncing the killings and what he claims to be electoral fraud. The protests in the capital, Maputo, resulted in police confronting demonstrators with tear gas and live rounds, along with armored vehicles and police dogs. Protesters responded by setting up barricades and blocking roads with burning tires.
Footage from the demonstrations showed Mondlane and journalists ducking for cover as gunfire erupted nearby, with media reports highlighting multiple arrests and at least 16 individuals injured and requiring hospitalization during the clashes.
As shops and businesses in Maputo closed in fear, many started reopening the following day. In anticipation of the funeral for the late Elvino Dias, scheduled for Wednesday, Mondlane has called for additional protests on Thursday and Friday.
The Mozambican government faces increasing pressure to swiftly identify and prosecute those responsible for these killings, with strong denunciations coming from a range of stakeholders, including former President Armando Guebuza, the United Nations, and international bodies like the EU. Renowned Mozambican author Mia Couto described the killings as a “crime against the nation.”
With Frelimo, the ruling party since Mozambique’s independence from Portugal, continuing its long-standing political dominance, the forthcoming election was critical, especially as President Filipe Nyusi concludes his two-term limit. The main candidates in this election include Frelimo’s Daniel Chapo, Mondlane, Ossufo Momade from the opposition Renamo party, and Lutero Simango representing the Mozambique Democratic Movement.
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