Mozambique: 121 dead in two days in protest against election results in Mozambique

The number of victims continues to rise in the severe unrest following the announcement of the election results in Mozambique. According to the civil society organization Plataforma Decide, 121 people were killed in clashes between demonstrators and security forces within 47 hours. Hours earlier, the organization had spoken of 56 dead and 380 injured. Mozambique The previous evening, the Interior Minister had named 21 dead.

The unrest began after the Constitutional Council confirmed the election of Daniel Chapo, the candidate of the ruling Frelimo party, as the new president with 65 percent of the vote. Opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane, who received only 24 percent of the vote, rejected the result as manipulated. He announced in a speech on Facebook that he would declare himself president on January 15th. Mondlane, who fled abroad after the October election, appealed to his supporters to protest peacefully.

But in the capital Maputo and other cities, shops were looted and vehicles and buildings were set on fire, including police stations and Frelimo party headquarters. In Maputo, demonstrators set up roadblocks, destroyed electricity pylons and robbed banks. Many people stayed at home on Christmas Day because they feared attacks. In addition to the police, the government also deployed special military and border guard forces.

Storming prisons

86 inmates escaped from a prison after it was stormed by protesters. This Wednesday there was another prison break in which hundreds of prisoners are said to have been freed. According to official information, 33 people were killed and 15 injured. Police chief Bernardino Rafael spoke of 1,534 prisoners who escaped in the incident in the capital Maputo; Of these, 150 were initially caught. He blamed protests outside the prison for the riot. Justice Minister Helena Kida, on the other hand, said the riots began in prison and had nothing to do with the demonstrations.

Around 35 million people live in Mozambique, many of whom suffer from poverty and mismanagement as well as the effects of climate change. The Frelimo party has ruled since 1975. Regular elections have been held in Mozambique since 1994.

The country is also currently suffering from the consequences of Cyclone Chido, which killed at least 120 people a week before Christmas. More than 150,000 homes were damaged or destroyed by the devastating storm, as well as dozens of hospitals, schools and other infrastructure.