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Post-Election Tension: Demonstrations Leave 88 Dead and 274 Injuried in Mozambique

Post-Election Tension: Demonstrations Leave 88 Dead and 274 Injuried in Mozambique

Since the announcement of the results of the general elections on 9 October, Mozambique has been experiencing a climate of growing tension, marked by demonstrations and clashes which, by 4 December, had resulted in at least 88 deaths, 274 injuries and 3,450 arrests, according to data released by the Decide Electoral Platform, a non-governmental electoral monitoring organisation, as reported by Lusa.

The protest intensified after the National Electoral Commission (CNE) declared Daniel Chapo the winner with 70.67 per cent of the vote. Candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who came second with 20.32%, refused to recognise the results, alleging irregularities in the electoral process and demanding electoral justice.

Venâncio Mondlane has called for a new phase of protests between 4 and 11 December, with daily demonstrations in ‘every neighbourhood’ in the country. These actions include the paralysing of car traffic from 8am to 4pm and calls for participants to raise protest placards and sing the anthems of Mozambique and Africa during the protests.

‘We’re going to demonstrate non-stop, without rest. It’s going to be a full seven days,’ said Mondlane, calling for the peaceful but massive mobilisation of the population, in a message posted on social media

Despite calls for non-violence, the protests have been marked by clashes between demonstrators and security forces. In Maputo and other cities, there have been reports of violent repression, with real bullets fired and mass arrests.

According to the Decide Electoral Platform, the escalation of violence demonstrates the worsening of the post-election crisis and the generalised dissatisfaction of the population. Organisations such as the Centre for Public Integrity (CIP), the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD) and Amnesty International have called for restraint on the part of all parties involved, reinforcing the need for dialogue to prevent the situation from worsening.

The first wave of protests took place between 27 and 29 November, shortly after the CNE announced the election results. This second phase, which began on 4 December, aims to intensify the protests until the Constitutional Council validates or revises the results.

While the demonstrations continue to cause disruptions to traffic and the normal functioning of cities, the post-election crisis highlights the deep political divisions in the country and emphasises the need for reforms to guarantee more transparent and inclusive electoral processes.

Mozambique remains on alert, with an uncertain future as tension worsens and the population demands concrete answers to their demands.

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