MAPUTO: Police in Mozambique resorted to tear gas and rubber bullets on Saturday to disperse protests across multiple cities following a disputed presidential election held on October 9.
The unrest erupted after the ruling Frelimo party, which has governed since 1975, was declared the winner of the election, a result that opposition parties have condemned as fraudulent.
Witnesses and local sources reported that hundreds gathered in the capital, Maputo, to demonstrate against the election results. As protests escalated, police moved in, firing tear gas and rubber bullets to clear the streets. Authorities increased their presence, attempting to deter further gatherings from other regions ahead of planned nationwide protests by the opposition.
In Nampula, nearly 2,000 kilometers (more than 1,200 miles) from the capital, clashes erupted between protesters and police in several areas. Local residents said that approximately 500 people took to Trabalho Avenue to contest the election results. Protesters also blocked roads near the city’s largest market, leading to violent confrontations with law enforcement.
According to civil society group Plataforma Decide, the situation in Nampula province has spiraled into chaos, with reports of police deploying tear gas against demonstrators. Local media reported that in Namialo, a town near Nampula, over a hundred protesters burned tires in the streets.
While police confirmed that at least 20 people were injured in the post-electoral violence and two fatalities were reported, they did not elaborate on the circumstances.
Since the unrest began, the Mozambican government has implemented internet restrictions, blocking access to social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, which opposition leader Venancio Mondlane has used to rally his supporters. Mondlane, representing the small Podemos party, has called for nationwide protests from October 31 to November 7, culminating in a significant rally planned in Maputo.
The turmoil began shortly after the election when the electoral commission declared Frelimo’s Daniel Chapo the victor, with approximately 71 percent of the votes. Mondlane, who garnered around 20 percent, dismissed the results as “false,” further fueling tensions.
