At Least 21 Dead as Mozambique Faces Unrest Following Election Ruling

Tensions in Mozambique have escalated dramatically after the country’s key court upheld the presidential election results favoring Daniel Chapo, resulting in violent clashes that have left at least 21 individuals dead, including two police officers. The unrest is rooted in accusations of electoral fraud from protesters, who have taken to the streets in defiance of the October election outcomes.

Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda, speaking at a press conference on December 25, noted that around 71 people have been detained due to the ongoing violence. Human rights organizations have criticized the Mozambican police for employing excessive force in crowd control, including the use of live ammunition and rubber bullets. Since the election announcement, over a hundred fatalities have been reported amidst sporadic protests.

Following the court's decision to validate Chapo's presidency, widespread chaos ensued, with demonstrators setting fires and obstructing roads using debris. Ronda reported significant destruction, with hundreds of buildings, including schools, police stations, and clinics, vandalized or looted. Notably, a penitentiary was breached, leading to the escape of 86 inmates. Ronda condemned these actions as a threat to national stability and insisted on a decisive response from security forces to restore order and pursue accountability for those responsible.