Buzzoca

At least 12 people have died and another 34 have been shot in the new phase of protests and strikes to challenge the election results that began on Wednesday, the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Decide Electoral Platform reported today.

According to the report released by the Mozambican electoral monitoring platform, with data up to 7:30 am today (two hours less in Lisbon), seven of the fatalities were recorded in Nampula province and one in Maputo, with two deaths also recorded in Cabo Delgado, one in Inhambane and another in Sofala.

Of those injured by gunshots, 20 cases were recorded in Nampula, seven in Cabo Delgado province, three in Sofala, two in Inhambane, one in Zambézia and another in Maputo.

These cases are in addition to another 76 deaths and 240 shootings in 41 days of protests against the election results, from October 21 to December 1, according to the previous report from that electoral monitoring platform, which also estimated “more than 3,000 arrests”.

Presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane called for a new phase of electoral protests lasting a week, starting on Wednesday, in “all neighborhoods” in Mozambique, with a stoppage of car traffic from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

“All neighborhoods are very active”, said Venâncio Mondlane, who does not recognize the announced results of the general elections of October 9, in a statement on his official Facebook account, calling for this new period of protests from December 4 to 11.

“We will gather in the neighborhoods and on the main avenues that cross our neighborhoods – we don’t need to travel far – and hold up our posters,” said Venâncio Mondlane.

As happened from November 27 to 29, the presidential candidate is asking that vehicles stop circulating from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm local time (two hours less in Lisbon), followed by 30 minutes to sing the national anthems of Mozambique and Africa in the streets, which happened today on several central arteries, particularly in Maputo, for the second day running.

“We will demonstrate non-stop, without rest. It will be seven full days (…). All vehicles, everything that moves, will stop,” he insisted, asking drivers to stick protest posters on vehicles that are circulating until 8:00 am and after 4:00 pm.

The announcement by the National Electoral Commission (CNE) of Mozambique on October 24 of the results of the October 9 elections, 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, called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, which have degenerated into violent clashes with the police.

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