Mozambican police clashed with opposition protesters in the capital, Maputo, on Monday, using tear gas to disperse crowds gathered near the site where two opposition figures were shot dead on Saturday. The deadly incident occurred amid growing tensions over the disputed October 9 national election, with full results expected later this week. Early returns suggest a victory for the ruling Frelimo party, but opposition candidates allege widespread election manipulation.
Frelimo, which has ruled Mozambique since 1975, continues to face accusations of electoral fraud, which the party denies. “The police are turning this into a violent protest by firing at us. We are here to demand that the truth about the election be recognized,” said a protester. “This is our way of showing that enough is enough. This regime must fall.”
The Mozambican police have a history of using live ammunition during political protests, including incidents from last year. Gunmen killed an opposition lawyer and a party official in Maputo on Saturday, fueling the unrest ahead of a national strike organized by independent presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane.
Mondlane later declared the strike a success and urged protesters to disperse after the clashes. Many businesses in Maputo remained closed, and the streets were quieter than usual. Mozambique’s electoral commission has not commented on the fraud allegations, while international observers from the U.S. criticized the election process, citing issues such as vote buying, intimidation, and inflated voter rolls, which they argue fall short of democratic standards.
