A member of the opposition Podemos party was shot dead early Thursday morning by unidentified gunmen in Buzi district, central Mozambique. The victim, 30-year-old Sandes António, was found at his residence with multiple gunshot wounds, according to a source from the largest opposition party in parliament.
Vale Magalhães, the district representative for the Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos), reported that António had sent an alarming message around 1 a.m. stating that his home was surrounded. After this communication, contact was lost. However, at dawn, a survivor who was with António and had been shot in the arm called Magalhães to inform him that António had been killed.
Magalhães condemned the police, alleging that António had earlier reported the police surrounding his home, raising suspicions of law enforcement’s involvement in the attack. The victim was found with three gunshot wounds to the head, chest, and back.
Dércio Chacate, the spokesperson for the Republic of Mozambique Police (PRM) in Sofala province, confirmed that investigations are ongoing but declined to comment further at this stage. Authorities have promised a statement once further details are available.
This is the third fatal shooting of a Podemos member in recent weeks, following protests sparked by the October 9 general elections, which have led to at least 310 deaths and over 600 injuries, according to figures from the electoral platform Decide. The unrest underscores the deepening political tensions in the country.
Podemos, which has now become the largest opposition party in parliament with 43 seats, supported the presidential bid of Venâncio Mondlane. However, Mondlane has rejected the results of the election, and Podemos’s decision to participate in the inauguration of elected MPs has caused a rift with other opposition parties, including the Mozambique National Resistance (Renamo) and the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM).
The death of António highlights the growing risks for political figures in Mozambique as the country grapples with escalating political violence and unrest.