from ARMANDO DOMINGOS in Maputo, Mozambique
Mozambique Bureau
MAPUTO, (CAJ News) – THE official announcement of the results of the Mozambique general elections has plunged the country into deadly chaos, marked by lawlessness on the streets and looting of businesses.
At least one person has been shot dead by security when protesters burnt tyres and blocked roads, during running battles between security forces and opposition supporters claiming the results have been rigged in favour of the ruling party.
This is in addition to two prominent figures of the Optimistic People for the Development of Mozambique (PODEMOS), set to be the biggest opposition.
A lawyer and a party official were shot dead while travelling in the same vehicle last weekend.
Police on Thursday fired teargas and in some cases accused of using live ammunition around the country, culminating in the death of at least one individual in the northern coastal town of Nacala.
Thousands of demonstrators have participated in related protest activity in the capital city of Maputo, Chimoio, Nacala and Nampula, among other locations.
Late Thursday, the National Electoral Commission (Comissao Nacional de Eleicoes, CNE) announced Daniel Chapo of the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) as the winner of October 9 presidential poll, with 70,67 percent, or over 4,9 million votes.
This puts him in line to be the fifth president of the Southern African country.
In power since independence from Portugal in 1975, FRELIMO has also secured 195 of the country’s 250 parliamentary seats, according to the CNE official results.
Venancio Mondlane, affiliated with the PODEMOS, has been announced as runner-up with 20,32 percent of the vote.
Ossufo Momande of the longtime opposition Mozambique National Resistance is ranked third at 5,81 percent and Lutero Simango of the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM) finished fourth with 3,21 percent.
Mondlane had called for a nationwide shutdown and associated protests on Thursday and Friday when it emerged CNE would announce Chapo (47), the former governor of the southern Inhambane province.
The Overseas Security Advisory Council issued an alert to American citizens in Mozambique due to increased protest activity.
Mozambique’s controversial election portrays the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as lacking when it comes to holding credible polls. Even South Africa, lauded as a beacon of democracy in the world, had elections challenged by the opposition in court.
SADC chairperson, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is neighbouring Zimbabwe’s president, exacerbated the tensions when he congratulated Chapo before the Mozambique elections body announced the results.
Mozambique is a fragile country. It spilled into a civil war between FRELIMO and RENAMO after the liberation movements fell out after independence. The conflict left over 2 million dead in 1992 but RENAMO would intermittently take arms when it felt future elections were rigged.
Another peace deal, the Maputo Accord, signed in 2019, has held the country together.
However, Islamist insurgents are terrorising northern Mozambique, towards Tanzania.
Post-election protests are forecast to continue and it is feared security forces will maintain a crackdown.
– CAJ News