At Least 88 Dead And 274 Shot Since October 21 In Mozambique

At least 88 people have died and 274 have been shot during protests and strikes to challenge the election results since October 21, the non-governmental organization (NGO) Plataforma Eleitoral Decide reported today.

According to the report released by the Mozambican electoral monitoring platform, which involved other NGOs such as the Center for Public Integrity (CIP), the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD) and Amnesty International, with data up to December 4, there are also records of 3,450 people arrested during this period.

Presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane called for a new phase of electoral protests lasting a week, from December 4 to 11, in "all neighborhoods" of Mozambique, with a stoppage of car traffic from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm (two hours less in Lisbon).

"All the neighborhoods are very active", said Venâncio Mondlane, who does not recognize the results announced in the general elections of 9 October, in a statement on his official Facebook account.

"They will concentrate on the neighborhoods and the main avenues that cross our neighborhoods - we do not need to travel far - holding up our posters", said Venâncio Mondlane.

As happened in the previous phase of protest, from 27 to 29 November, the presidential candidate asked that vehicles stop circulating from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm (two hours less in Lisbon), followed by 30 minutes to sing the national anthems of Mozambique and Africa in the streets, which has been the case over the last two days on several central arteries, particularly in Maputo.

"We will demonstrate non-stop, without rest. It will be seven full days (...). All vehicles, everything that moves, will stop", he insisted, asking drivers to put protest posters on vehicles that are in circulation until 8:00 am and after 4:00 pm.

The announcement by the National Electoral Commission (CNE) of Mozambique, on October 24, of the results of the October 9 elections, in which it attributed the victory to Daniel Chapo, supported by the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo, the party in power since 1975) in the election for President of the Republic, with 70.67% of the votes, sparked popular protests, called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, which have degenerated into violent clashes with the police.

According to the CNE, Mondlane came in second place, with 20.32%, but it does not recognize the results, which still have to be validated and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council.