Mozambique: Inauguration Day death toll rises to eleven

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Mozambique: Inauguration Day death toll rises to eleven

12:13 CAT | 17 Jan 2025

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Lusa]

The number of people killed in protests against the election results during the inauguration of the new President of Mozambique, Daniel Chapo, has risen to 11, according to an update issued by the electoral platform Decide on Thursday.

According to data sent to Lusa by the electoral process monitor yesterday, of the total deaths recorded on Wednesday, six occurred in the city and province of Maputo, three in Nampula, one in Sofala and one in Inhambane.

Also on Wednesday, 14 people were shot and another seven arrested.

Since the post-election protests began on October 21, with violent clashes between police and protesters, at least 311 people have died, 630 have been shot and a total of 4,236 have been arrested, according to the Decide NGO.

On Wednesday, the police used gunfire and tear gas to disperse protesters who were protesting the inauguration of the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, about 300 metres from the inauguration venue in the centre of Maputo.

The Mozambican capital was under heavy security measures on Wednesday and there had already been interventions to disperse protesters who were setting fire to tyres on roads near the centre of Maputo shortly before the inauguration ceremony.

The protesters, organised into different groups, were shouting “Hail Mozambique” and singing the Mozambican anthem, saying they wanted to attend the inauguration, but were prevented by the police.

Vamos remover o Chissale da lista. Ainda continua desaparecido e o relato do suposto corpo não foi verificado/confirmado.

— Tomás Queface (@tomqueface) January 16, 2025

Daniel Chapo was inaugurated on Wednesday as the fifth President of the Republic of Mozambique, the first to be born after the country’s independence, in a ceremony attended by around 2,500 guests.

On December 23, Chapo, 48, was proclaimed by the Constitutional Council (CC) as the winner of the election for President of the Republic, with 65.17% of the votes, in the general elections of October 9, which included legislative and provincial assembly elections, which the Liberation Front of Mozambique (Frelimo) also won.

Presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who does not recognize the election results, called for three days of strikes and demonstrations, starting on Monday, protesting the inauguration of the deputies elected to the Assembly of the Republic and the inauguration of the new President of the Republic.

The election of Daniel Chapo has been contested in the streets since October, with pro-Mondlane protesters – who according to the CC obtained only 24% of the votes but claims victory – demanding the “reestablishment of the electoral truth”, with barricades, looting and clashes with the police.

Source: Lusa