Mozambique faces a looming civil war as the post-election crisis escalates. The country’s opposition has rejected the disputed results from the general elections held in October, plunging the southern African country into political turmoil, according to media reports.
Scenes of deadly violence and widespread destruction now dominate the streets. Protests erupted after the Constitutional Council upheld the ruling party, the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), and its presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, as victorious in the contentious October 9 elections.
The situation turned volatile when opposition leader and presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane accused Frelimo of election fraud and called for his supporters to mobilize. Demonstrations quickly spiraled into riots, with protesters alleging widespread irregularities, including phantom voter registrations, ballot stuffing, and exclusion of opposition observers from vote counting.
Independent analysts and other opposition leaders echoed these accusations. The Council’s President, Lucia da Luz Ribeiro, admitted instances of fraud but downplayed their significance, claiming the Council’s “corrections” avoided the need for a recount. Her remarks failed to appease protesters and fueled accusations of partiality.
Violent clashes have since engulfed multiple regions, with Maputo at the epicenter. Protesters erected barricades, torched police stations and set Frelimo offices ablaze.
Amnesty International reports that the unrest has claimed over 300 lives, making it the most catastrophic violence since the civil war ended decades ago, apart from the insurgency in northern Cabo Delgado.
Amid the turmoil, over 1,500 inmates from Maputo’s high-security prison escaped, while 33 others died in clashes with guards, according to police reports.