On Tuesday (19 November), presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane announced three more days of ‘peaceful demonstrations’ across the country, scheduled to take place between Wednesday (20) and Friday (22). During the announcement, Mondlane declared national mourning in memory of the fatal victims of the 9 October post-election demonstrations and called for popular mobilisation in actions that he defined as ‘peaceful and symbolic’.
The politician asked citizens to dress in black ‘as a sign of mourning’ and to remain in their neighbourhoods, ‘displaying placards expressing opposition to terrorism, kidnappings, organised crime and advocating the restoration of electoral truth’.
Among the planned actions is the recommendation that motorists stop their vehicles at 12 noon each day and honk their horns for 15 minutes. Mondlane also called for the ‘Panelaços’ to continue to be held daily at 9pm, encouraging the population to bang on pots and pans as a form of protest.
Mondlane, who has been out of Mozambique since the end of October, in an undisclosed location, reiterated that the demonstrations should remain exclusively peaceful, emphasising several times his rejection of ‘acts of violence or vandalism that have occurred in previous demonstrations’, and that such episodes ‘do not reflect the objectives or values of this struggle’.
The protests are taking place against a backdrop of growing tension in the country, with reports of clashes between demonstrators and police forces. So far, the clashes have resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries in various regions. Mondlane continues to contest the official results of the presidential elections, which gave victory to Frelimo, and reaffirms his own victory in the ballot.
According to the results announced by the National Electoral Commission (CNE), Daniel Chapo, supported by the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo), won the 9 October elections with 70.67% of the vote.
According to the CNE’s data, Mondlane came second with 20.32%, but the latter said it did not recognise the results, which still have to be validated and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council, which has no deadlines for this and is still analysing the dispute.
Public Prosecutor’s Office takes civil action
Meanwhile, the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) has filed a civil suit against Venâncio Mondlane and the Podemos party, which supports him. The MP is asking for compensation of 32.3 million meticals (501,000 dollars) for the material damage allegedly caused by the demonstrations that have taken place in recent weeks.
This legal action reflects the economic consequences of the demonstrations and constitutes yet another front of pressure on Mondlane, who has been leading the protests remotely while he is out of the country.
Text: Germano Ndlovo
