Calm returns to Mozambique capital after deadly day of protests

At least five people died and 120 were injured as a crowd tried to advance toward the center of Maputo.

Calm returned to Mozambique’s capital on Friday after police used deadly violence to break up a wave of post-election protests that shook Maputo the day before.

Some public transport was operating and people were traveling to work, according to a live report from local television. That was a stark difference from Thursday, when billows of black smoke mixed with teargas hung over parts of the city as security forces confronted demonstrators.

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At least five people died and 120 were injured as a crowd tried to advance toward the center of Maputo, according to the Center for Democracy and Human Rights, which said protestors faced an “insurmountable barrier” of trucks and soldiers.

It had previously reported 34 deaths as security forces fired on demonstrations that erupted in the wake of the disputed October 9 elections. The official results showed the ruling party winning in a landslide, but outside observers say the vote was marred by irregularities.

The worst election unrest since the end of Mozambique’s 16-year civil war in 1992 has forced the closure of its main border with neighboring South Africa and suspended operations at Maputo port. The nation’s bonds have plunged and fears are growing that a $20 billion natural-gas export project led by TotalEnergies SE could face further delays.

The government and ruling party have cast the demonstrations as inciting a coup. Opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane on Thursday said the nation is witnessing a revolution, and protests will continue until the authorities acknowledge he won the election.

Official results showed he took 20% of the vote and the ruling party candidate Daniel Chapo 71%, but Mondlane rejected that outcome as fraudulent. Local and international observers pointed to a raft of irregularities, including indications of ballot box stuffing and altering the results.

The party backing Mondlane has filed an appeal against the election outcome with the Constitutional Council, Mozambique’s top court, which has yet to verify the results. In the 2019 elections, the court only did so on December 23.

The government has repeatedly urged Mozambicans to stay off the streets and wait for the legal process to conclude.

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