On Thursday, October 31, thousands of protesters are expected to fill the streets of Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, and other cities, in defiance of outgoing President Filipe Nyusi’s call for calm.
Public anger has been simmering since the October 9 elections, where long-ruling Frelimo (Mozambique Liberation Front) candidate Daniel Chapo secured victory amid accusations of electoral misconduct.
Chapo’s opponent, Helder Mondlane, who captured significant support from Mozambique’s youth, alleges the election results were rigged, a claim echoed by international observers who reported voting irregularities. So far, at least 11 people have died in post-election clashes as police crackdown on demonstrators challenging the legitimacy of the results.
The controversial killing of two of Mondlane’s close allies has only intensified the tension, with many Mozambicans viewing the police response as an attempt to silence dissent. While Mondlane ran as an independent candidate, he enjoyed the backing of Podemos, an extra-parliamentary group known as the Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique.
New Wave of Protests to Begin
Just as calm appeared to be returning to Maputo and other cities this week, Mondlane announced another round of protests in a Facebook live stream on Wednesday night.
His message sparked renewed mobilization, with groups of young people gathering in Maputo, following Mondlane’s words on their phones, and chanting “Vamos, Vamos!” — meaning “Let’s go!”
Much of the unrest stems from frustration over what opposition supporters say is blatant voter fraud. Accusations of ballot stuffing and ghost voters have plagued the October 9 election, with some locals calling it a missed opportunity to break Frelimo’s decades-long political stronghold.
Mozambique’s youth, who account for two-thirds of the nation’s 35 million people, saw this election as a chance for change, yet many believe the current system remains rigged in favor of the ruling party.
Since gaining independence from Portuguese colonial rule in 1975, Frelimo has held a dominant position in Mozambican politics, despite years of economic hardship, corruption, and a protracted civil conflict against the Renamo party. Today, young Mozambicans often feel disillusioned by Frelimo’s legacy.
Though the party’s reputation as a liberation movement once inspired patriotism, many of its former supporters are now troubled by high unemployment rates, deteriorating infrastructure, and an insurgency in the country’s north.
Widespread Accusations of Electoral Fraud
While many had expected Mondlane’s popularity among young voters to create a competitive race, most analysts predicted that President Nyusi, who is stepping down after two terms, would pass power to his Frelimo successor, Chapo.
The 47-year-old Chapo tried to position himself as a voice of change during his campaign, but despite his appeals, many young voters remained unconvinced of his promises.
Election day passed relatively peacefully, with the National Election Commission (CNE) counting votes without much interruption. However, reports soon emerged of vote-rigging tactics, including ballot stuffing and “ghost” voters on the registration lists, confirmed by observers from the African Union, European Union, and the local association of Catholic bishops.
“The whole thing was organized to steal the elections,” Joseph Hanlon, a veteran academic and analyst of Mozambican politics, said. “In some places, we’re seeing result sheets written in pencil so they can be changed afterward. The elections are irregular from beginning to end.”
As vote counting dragged on and Frelimo’s win became apparent, tensions escalated across opposition groups. Supporters of Mondlane’s Podemos and Renamo, Frelimo’s traditional rival, voiced growing frustration, rejecting preliminary results as fraudulent. Mondlane, who claimed victory for himself, denounced the unofficial outcome alongside Renamo leader Ossufo Momade.
The October 9 election has not only divided the country but has laid bare deep-rooted concerns about Mozambique’s political future.
As such, while Frelimo has been credited with stabilizing the country after independence, critics argue the party has grown increasingly autocratic. For many young Mozambicans, Chapo’s election does little to reassure them that change is coming.
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