Mozambique’s president-elect, Daniel Chapo, has called for “non-violence” and “unity” following a week of deadly riots triggered by his governing Frelimo party’s contested election victory.
In his first public address since the country’s top court confirmed his win on Monday, Chapo expressed regret over the unrest and pledged to be “the president of all” Mozambicans after his mid-January inauguration. Opposition groups have alleged widespread vote-rigging in the October elections.
The violent protests, led by opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, saw streets blocked, businesses looted, and a mass prison breakout in Maputo.
Local NGO Plataforma Decide reported 134 deaths during the riots, bringing the total fatalities since the election to at least 261. Thousands of citizens have fled to neighboring Malawi to escape the chaos.
Chapo condemned the violence, noting its toll on cities such as Maputo, Matola, Beira, and Nampula. He emphasized that such actions worsen poverty and unemployment, adding that several police officers were among the casualties.
The Frelimo party has governed Mozambique since the country’s independence in 1975, but the latest unrest underscores the deep divisions and challenges facing the nation.
However, the opposition under Mondlane, which has strong support among Mozambique’s youth population, claimed the October 9 election was rigged.
International observers also pointed to electoral irregularities in the disputed poll, which the Constitutional Council said Chapo won with about 65 percent of the vote.
Fleeing to Malawi
Amid the post-electoral tensions, more than 2,000 Mozambican families have sought refuge in Malawi this week, Malawian authorities said.
A senior Malawian official said that as of Wednesday, 2,182 Mozambican households fleeing the violence had crossed into Malawi’s Nsanje district, which borders Mozambique.
“The situation remains dire as these individuals urgently require humanitarian assistance,” Nsanje district commissioner Dominic Mwandira said in a letter to the country’s commissioner for refugees seen by the Reuters news agency.
Al Jazeera’s Haru Mutasa reporting from Maputo said regional leaders in Africa say they are ready to assist Mozambique resolve its political crisis.
“Countries in the region need Mozambique because they rely on Mozambique’s ports. For example, the fuel that goes to Zimbabwe comes through Mozambique,” she said.
“[Regional countries are] urging leaders in Mozambique to have a dialogue … and resolve the unrest and the political impasse in the country.”
