Tensions are escalating in Mozambique as opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane, who came in second in the October 9 presidential elections, has vowed to continue protests against what he claims was a fraudulent outcome, Bloomberg reports.
Mondlane, who has accused the ruling party of rigging the election, has already led three days of demonstrations last week, resulting in violent clashes with police and bringing business to a standstill in the capital, Maputo.
The unrest, described as “unprecedented” by Adriano Nuvunga, director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights, has sent shockwaves through the country and its economy. Mozambique’s dollar bonds have plummeted, and fears of further delays to a $20 billion liquefied natural gas project, currently on hold due to an Islamic State-backed insurgency, are rising.
Mondlane, who has been communicating with supporters through Facebook after claiming he received threats of assassination, announced that the first two phases of his four-part plan to ensure voters’ will was respected are complete. He warned that further details of the next phase will be released later today. “From Tuesday onwards, hard and very difficult days will come,” he wrote in a recent Facebook post.
The opposition leader has spoken of the possibility of a revolution in Mozambique, where nearly three in four people live on less than $2.15 per day. While his live-streams have garnered over a million views within hours, it remains unclear if he can sustain support for a prolonged work stoppage in a country where many rely on informal trade for survival.
The election results, announced on October 24, showed ruling party candidate Daniel Chapo winning with 71% of the vote, while Mondlane received 20%. However, numerous irregularities during the tallying process, including alleged ballot-box stuffing and results manipulation, have been reported by observers, including the European Union.
Both Chapo and Mondlane have indicated a willingness to engage in dialogue. However, Mondlane has stipulated that his participation is contingent on the electoral authorities releasing voting data at the polling station level.
