MAPUTO, Mozambique — Following the recent presidential election in Mozambique, police have reportedly shot and killed at least ten individuals, with many more injured in the ensuing unrest, according to two medical organizations. As the nation prepared on Thursday for additional protests, opposition parties denounced the election as fraudulent, a sentiment echoed by various international observers.
On October 24, Daniel Chapo from the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo) was declared the election winner, allowing the party to maintain its grip on power for 49 years since the country gained independence from Portugal in 1975. Chapo will replace President Filipe Nyusi, who is stepping down after fulfilling the constitutional limit of two terms.
Frelimo has a history of accusations regarding election rigging, and the country’s security forces have faced scrutiny for their violent reactions to protests. Allegations of fraud on election day were made by opposition groups, while a subsequent report from European Union observers pointed to irregularities in the vote count, including manipulated results.
Prior to and shortly after the October 9 vote, tensions escalated in Mozambique, particularly following the assassination of two senior officials from an opposition party on October 18. The officials were ambushed in their vehicle in the capital city, Maputo, with reports suggesting that the assailants fired approximately 25 rounds at the car. This incident has been broadly interpreted as politically motivated by the public.
One of the deceased was a lawyer who served as an advisor to Venancio Mondlane, the main opposition leader and runner-up in the electoral race.
Between October 18 and October 26, ten people succumbed to gunshot wounds, while 63 others reported injuries from gunfire during the protests, according to a joint statement by the Medical Association of Mozambique and the Mozambique Order of Doctors. Gilberto Manhiça, the head of the Order of Doctors, remarked that “in most of the shootings, especially those that resulted in death, the intention of the police was to shoot to kill,” as reported by local media outlets.
Human Rights Watch issued a different count, placing the death toll at eleven, while highlighting that over 50 individuals suffered serious gunshot injuries during the protests. The organization called for a probe into what they described as “apparently excessive use of force” by the authorities.
Amid the unrest, demonstrators took to the streets, burning tires and obstructing roadways, a scenario that authorities labeled violent and in need of suppression. Police spokesperson Orlando Mudumane communicated to state media that the situation had become “relatively calm and controlled.” Furthermore, opposition leader Mondlane has urged supporters to commence a week of new demonstrations starting Thursday.