Mozambique: At least six dead, 15 shot in protests on Monday – NGO

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Mozambique: At least six dead, 15 shot in protests on Monday – NGO

1:56 CAT | 14 Jan 2025

File photo: Lusa

At least six people died and 15 were injured by gunfire in Mozambique on Monday, in the first of three days of demonstrations called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, according to an update issued on Tuesday by the Decide electoral platform.

According to the report by the electoral monitoring NGO, there were three fatalities in Zambézia province and three in Inhambane province, bringing to 300 the total number of deaths in post-election demonstrations since October 21.

According to Decide, on this first day of new demonstrations, coinciding with the inauguration in Maputo of the deputies elected on October 9 to the Assembly of the Republic, there were also seven cases of people being shot non-fatally in Zambézia province, three in Inhambane province, four in the city of Maputo and one in the province of Maputo.

Since the start of the protests called by Venâncio Mondlane against the election results, 613 people have been shot, according to the Decide electoral platform, and at least 4,220 people have been arrested, including two this Monday in Maputo.

Data from yesterday’s demonstrations (14/01/2025)! #MozambiqueElections #MozambiqueProtests pic.twitter.com/NJFwySkM8U

— Plataforma_decide (@PDecide23) January 14, 2025

On Sunday, Venâncio Mondlane expressed his willingness to seek “national pacification”, demanding some measures to participate in political dialogue, aiming to put an end to the post-election tension.

“What I want to bring now is that there must be concrete measures, so that the population feels in their daily lives that this dialogue is also remembering them. My proposal was a national commitment to build three million houses for young people in five years, and an amount of up to US$600 million [€585 million] for small and medium-sized businesses that suffered during the protests,” Mondlane declared.

In addition to the release of the approximately 5,000 people detained during the election result protests, Mondlane also called for the approval, in a law or parliamentary resolution, of a commitment by the Government to set up a line of financing of a five-year, US$500 million (€488 million euros) financing line for micro and small businesses owned by young people and women.

Mondlane also called for free medical treatment and medication for all those injured during the protests, as well as financial compensation for those who lost family members.

“If this is done with these measures, I, Venâncio, feel that we have a good platform to begin a process of reconciliation and peace in Mozambique,” he said, stating that he wants “the well-being of the people.”

On Saturday, Venâncio Mondlane called for a three-day strike in Mozambique starting on Monday and for “peaceful demonstrations” during the inauguration of members of parliament and the new Mozambican President, contesting the electoral process.

“The time has come for you to demonstrate your own initiative,” he said, in a live broadcast from his official Facebook account, referring to the inauguration ceremonies scheduled for Monday for the 250 deputies and for Wednesday for the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo.

“These three days are crucial for our lives. We have to show that the people are in charge. Peaceful demonstrations. From 8:00 to 17:00 [two hours less in Lisbon] is enough, against the traitors of the people on Monday and against the thieves of the people on Wednesday,” he said.

Venâncio Mondlane returned to Mozambique on Thursday, after two and a half months abroad, citing security concerns, and insists on not recognizing the announced results of the general elections of October 9, in which the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo, in power since 1975) elected Daniel Chapo, maintained the majority of deputies in the Assembly of the Republic and secured all provincial governors.

Source: Lusa