Former Mozambican president Armando Guebuza on Tuesday called for the “real perpetrators” of the “macabre crime” involving the double murder of supporters of presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane to be clarified and held accountable, criticising “opportunistic exploitation”.
“We cannot let the forces of evil continue to instrumentalise our country, compromising our national security. We call on the authorities to seek out and hold accountable the real perpetrators of this macabre crime, avoiding opportunistic exploitation and chaos,” wrote the former head of state in a message he posted on his social network Facebook.
The Mozambican police confirmed to the Lusa news agency on Saturday that the car in which Elvino Dias, a lawyer for Venâncio Mondlane, a presidential candidate in the 9 October elections, and Paulo Guambe, a member of Podemos, the party that supports Mondlane, were travelling, were shot dead in an “ambush”.
The crime took place on Avenida Joaquim Chissano, in the centre of the capital.
“I met Paulo Guambe in 2020 when he came to my office with a group of students from ISARC [‘Higher Institute of Arts and Culture’] to interview me as part of a documentary film about the literary work of Filimone Meigos. Paulo spoke to me about cinema, as a curricular subject, and his professional projects in this area (…). I regret his brutal murder, as well as those who accompanied him on that fateful night,” Guebuza said in his message.
Armando Guebuza was in power in Mozambique from 2005 to 2015 and his predecessor, Joaquim Chissano, also reacted in the last few hours to the crime.
“This act of brutal violence, which tarnishes the image of our country, is an attack on human life that is unacceptable and goes against the principles and values of dignity, respect and justice that we defend and that must underpin our society,” said Joaquim Chissano, in a press release he signed.
In the note released by the Joaquim Chissano Foundation, of which the former Mozambican president (6 November 1986 – 2 February 2005) is patron, it is stressed that “this and other heinous crimes” contribute “to creating a feeling of insecurity and undermining the will to work for the well-being of Mozambicans”.
Joaquim Chissano encourages the authorities “to redouble their efforts” to clarify “as soon as possible” the crime, which he classifies as “macabre”.
The former head of state says that the case must result in the perpetrators being brought to justice “with severe and dissuasive measures that contribute to preventing future cases of violence, murders and kidnappings”.
“Peace, security, tranquillity and guaranteeing the protection of all citizens are common values and goods that we must all preserve at all costs and at all times,” he emphasises.
Following the double murder, Venâncio Mondlane, who is contesting the preliminary results of the 9 October elections that did not give him victory, called for peaceful marches in Mozambique on Monday, which were dispersed by the police with gunfire and tear gas in Maputo.
