A few hundred health professionals, led by doctors, marched on Tuesday 5 November in Maputo against the violence of recent days, claiming that at least 108 people have been shot and 16 killed.
According to the Lusa news agency, the initiative had only envisaged a sit-in in front of the medical association’s headquarters, but pressure from the doctors resulted in a march along Eduardo Mondlane Avenue, after passing by the aid centre at Maputo Central Hospital.
‘The march is peaceful and non-partisan,’ said the doctors, who also asked that “our people not be killed”.
On 24 October, the National Electoral Commission (CNE) awarded the victory in the presidential elections of 9 October to Daniel Chapo, supported by the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo, the party in power since 1975), with 70.67% of the vote.
According to the body, Venâncio Mondlane came second with 20.32%, but it does not recognise the results, which still have to be validated and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council.
In the general elections, Frelimo also strengthened its parliamentary majority, from 184 to 195 deputies (out of 250), and elected all ten of the country’s provincial governors.
In chronological terms, following the CNE’s announcement of the results, on 30 October the Constitutional Council gave the commission eight days to send it the minutes and notices of the vote in Maputo and six provinces, in order to validate the election results, which have been contested by the opposition.
Venâncio Mondlane called for stoppages and protests for a period of one week, which will culminate in a national demonstration on 7 November in Maputo.
