Police fired tear gas on Monday to disperse a small crowd in the capital city, where shops remained closed ahead of a planned protest against alleged electoral fraud following the October 9 elections.
The unrest erupted as opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, who contested the presidency, called the demonstration to contest preliminary results showing the ruling Frelimo party in the lead.
Videos shared on social media and reports from an AFP journalist on the scene depicted dozens of people, including journalists, scattering as heavily armed police advanced down main streets. Tensions escalated dramatically after the shocking deaths of two of Mondlane’s associates, lawyer Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe, a candidate from the Podemos party. Witnesses reported that the men were ambushed in their vehicle on Saturday and shot dead.
Podemos leader Albino Forquilha confirmed the tragic killings, prompting a police investigation, although authorities have yet to officially identify the victims. The European Union, African Union, and United Nations have condemned the violence and called for accountability from those responsible.
In a statement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all Mozambicans, including political leaders and their supporters, to maintain calm, exercise restraint, and reject violence. Similarly, the head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, expressed deep concern over the reported instances of post-election violence, particularly the recent murders.
As the city of around one million resembled a ghost town on Monday, with shops shuttered and helicopters patrolling the skies, Mozambique braces for official presidential and parliamentary results expected later this week. The country has a history of electoral violence, with several fatalities recorded in clashes following municipal elections last year.
