Mozambique is on edge as opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane has called for a week of protests against what he claims was a rigged election, raising fears of escalating political turmoil in the gas-rich nation, Bloomberg reports.
Mondlane, who placed second in the October 9th election, has dismissed the official results, which showed the ruling party securing a 49-year hold on power with its presidential candidate Daniel Chapo winning 71% of the vote. He has urged supporters across the country to converge on the capital, Maputo, for a mass rally on November 7.
The call to action comes amidst a tense atmosphere following post-election demonstrations that saw Human Rights Watch report at least 11 people killed by police. Mondlane, who claims he went into hiding due to fears of assassination, has been addressing supporters via live streams, garnering millions of views.
Aleix Montana, Africa Analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, expects the call to be widely heeded, particularly among unemployed youth who “feel they have little to lose.”
The government has responded with a crackdown, including social media and messaging app restrictions, as well as curbing mobile data last week. NetBlocks, an organization that tracks internet shutdowns globally, confirmed these restrictions were imposed on Thursday, with its director of research, Isik Mater, suggesting they are aimed at limiting participation in the protests.
Amnesty International’s regional director, Khanyo Farisè, has condemned the government’s actions, calling on the authorities to respect people’s right to protest. “Attempts to crush peaceful dissent with force risk exacerbating an already dire human rights situation,” she said in a statement.
While Montana views the likelihood of protesters overthrowing the government as remote, the unrest has sparked calls for dialogue. An influential group of Catholic bishops has suggested a possible government of national unity, and Mondlane has indicated a willingness to talk, but only after authorities release vote tallies from individual polling stations.
The Constitutional Council, tasked with verifying the election results, has ordered the electoral commission to provide the majority of this data, potentially paving the way for dialogue and easing tensions.
