Bishops denounce assassinations and rioting following Mozambique national elections

Nov 1, 2024 by Dave Doveton

By George Conger, Anglican Ink.

The Anglican Council of Mozambique has condemned the murder of two opposition leaders following the ruling FRELIMO party’s victory in the southern African nation’s national elections held on October 9th, and have urged calm in the wake of protests that have followed.

The National Election Commission (CNE) led by former Anglican archbishop the Most Rev. Carlos Matsinhe reported on 16 Oct 2024 that FRELIMO won 70 per cent of the national vote, the leader of the PODEMOS party Venancio Mondlane came second with more than 20 per cent of the vote, and Ossufo Momade of RENAMO came third with fie per cent. The result continues FRELIMO’s hold on the presidency, legislature and city councils since it gained power following the country’s independence from Portugal in 1975.

Mondlane claimed PODEMOS won the vote, alleging electoral fraud and manipulation in favor of Frelimo. Mondlane’s lawyer and top party aide, Elvino Dias, said they legally challenged the election results after preliminary parallel vote counts conducted by PODEMOS produced different results than those of CNE.

However, on the night of Friday 17th, Dias and Paulo Guambe, head of PODEMOS, were ambushed while inside a vehicle in the capital, Maputo, and shot dead. No suspects have been identified in the killing.

The murders rocked the capital Maputo, prompting PODEMOS supporters to set up roadblocks and burn tires in the street. Police responded with gunfire. News Agencies have reported ten deaths and 16 injuries in the capital so far.

The Anglican bishops of Mozambique released a statement saying they were “following with great apprehension and prayer the recent events of our country. The sad thing is that it is not those who colonized us who kill Mozambicans today, but we kill each other among brothers, among compatriots, among Mozambicans, only because of differing opinions. This is what happened when we heard about the lives of our brothers and sisters who died in Cabo Deldago, due to terrorism. We want to remind you that the pain for the loss of these innocent souls has not yet healed.”

Read here.