Mozambique is poised to swear in its new parliament on Monday, despite months of deadly protests following a disputed presidential election in October. Opposition groups continue to challenge the results, claiming the vote was rigged in favor of the ruling party.
Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane has called for peaceful demonstrations from Monday to Wednesday, coinciding with the swearing-in of Daniel Chapo as president. Mondlane insists that he won the presidential election, accusing the ruling Frelimo party of manipulating the vote. Frelimo, which has been in power for over five decades, has dismissed these claims.
Two major opposition parties, Renamo and the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), have announced they will boycott Monday’s parliamentary session, which will see new members of parliament sworn in. Renamo, which secured 28 seats in the 250-seat legislature, and MDM, which won eight, have both condemned the election process as fraudulent.
Renamo spokesperson Marcial Macome called the opening ceremony a “social outrage” and a “disrespect” to the will of Mozambicans, who, he said, were deprived of a “free, fair, and transparent” election. The MDM echoed these sentiments, with its representatives stating that their boycott was a stance in favor of “electoral truth.”
In the official election results, Frelimo won 171 seats in parliament, while the Podemos party claimed 43 seats. Mondlane, who was supported by Podemos in the presidential race, claims he actually won 53 percent of the vote, far surpassing the 24 percent attributed to him in the official results. In contrast, President-elect Chapo is said to have garnered 65 percent.
Mondlane returned from over two months in exile last week to continue his challenge to the election results. His return sparked a wave of protests in the capital, Maputo, which led to violent clashes with security forces. At least three people were reported dead, according to election monitors, as tensions between demonstrators and the police intensified.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Mondlane urged his supporters to declare a national strike and paralyze the country for three days. He called for peaceful protests to show resistance to the official results, describing the swearing-in of the new parliament as “a betrayal of the will of the people.”
“Let us stand together to demonstrate our rejection of the inauguration on Monday and show our opposition to the theft of the people’s will on Wednesday,” Mondlane said.
The post-election unrest has been deadly, with around 300 lives lost according to a local rights group. Security forces have been accused of using excessive force, including live ammunition, to quell the protests. Several police officers have also died in the violence, according to the government.
The turmoil has had a devastating impact on Mozambique’s economy, disrupting cross-border trade, shipping, mining, and other industries. The situation remains tense as the nation braces for more protests and potential unrest.