Mozambique Elections: Lawyers ask President for “genuine dialogue” to avoid “a bloodbath” on Thursday – Watch

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Mozambique Elections: Lawyers ask President for “genuine dialogue” to avoid “a bloodbath” on Thursday – Watch

4:58 CAT | 06 Nov 2024

Screen grab: DW Africa

The Mozambican Bar Association this Wednesday called on the President of the Republic to start a “genuine dialogue”, including with Venâncio Mondlane, to avoid a “bloodbath” on Thursday, the day of a national demonstration in Maputo called by the presidential candidate.

“There are all the ingredients for there to be a bloodbath tomorrow and we, as a society, must not allow that. We understand that the time has come to appeal, and to even call on His Excellency the President of the Republic to convene the Council of State, in order to seek advice and open lines of dialogue,” chairman of the Mozambican Bar Association (OAM) Carlos Martins said at a press conference in Maputo.

“We must do everything in our power to effectively calm tempers, which are very high at the moment (…). But a deep, sincere, genuine dialogue is needed about the real problems that are emerging at this time,” stated the Bar Association chairman, suggesting that Venâncio Mondlane, one of the four presidential candidates in the general elections of October 9, who is claiming victory in the elections, should participate in this dialogue.

The announcement by the National Electoral Commission (CNE) of Mozambique on October 24, in which it attributed 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, as called for by Venâncio Mondlane.

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

After street protests on the 21st, 24th and 25th, which paralyzed the country, candidate Modlane once again called on the population to stage a general strike lasting seven days, starting on October 31st, and a demonstration concentrated in Maputo on November 7th. Nationwide street protests that have degenerated into violence and police intervention.

On Tuesday, Mozambique’s Minister of National Defence, Cristóvão Chume, said that there were signs of a “firm and credible intention to change” the constitutional order, warning that if the escalation of violence continues, the Armed Forces will be called upon to “protect” the State.

“If the escalation of violence continues, there is no other alternative but to change the positions of the forces on the ground and place the Armed Forces to protect the goals of the State,” the minister said at a press conference in Maputo, acknowledging that at the moment the military is only on the ground to support the remaining security forces and the population.

“We said that the preparatory acts for a change of democratically established power are credible,” said Chume, in the same speech, in a reference to Mondlane’s calls for marches on the organs of power.

Before the speech, a video was shown demonstrating the violence of demonstrations that have taken place in the country in recent days.