Mozambique braces for heightened unrest as the Constitutional Council prepares to announce final results of the controversial October 9 election, following two months of protests that have left 130 dead and disrupted key sectors.
Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane has vowed chaos if the council validates the initial results, which showed him losing to ruling Frelimo party candidate Daniel Chapo. Mondlane, speaking from self-imposed exile, claimed the election was rigged, alleging he won 53% of the vote compared to Chapo’s 36%. The election commission’s results gave Chapo a landslide victory with 71%.
“The country is in your hands,” Mondlane said in a widely viewed broadcast on Monday. “If we get the electoral truth, we will go towards peace,” he added, concluding that, “If it is an electoral lie, we will bring the country down to a precipice, chaos and disorder.”
Protests have crippled city centres, disrupted industries, and halted operations at Mozambique’s border with South Africa, impacting regional trade. Civil society group Plataforma Decide reported 130 protester deaths, with police accused of using live ammunition.
The unrest has also spurred the US government to issue travel warnings, while Mozal Aluminium, the country’s largest employer, has prepared contingency plans for potential civil strife.
Outgoing President Filipe Nyusi, due to step down in January 2025 after two terms, dismissed accusations of leveraging unrest to extend his tenure. “I have no intention of serving a third term,” Nyusi declared on Thursday, rejecting claims of a state of emergency plan.
Frelimo faces internal fractures, analysts say, with tensions between Nyusi and Chapo. Political observers expect the council to approve the results with minor adjustments to Frelimo’s sweeping parliamentary win, avoiding a costly re-election.
Protests have already been called for Monday, with fears of intensified violence. Maputo-based analyst Johann Smith predicted the announcement would mark a turning point.
