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A day after Catholic bishops in Mozambique rejected the general election results as fraudulent, violence has erupted across the country. The bishops had previously urged electoral bodies not to "certify a lie," but on October 24, Daniel Chapo of Frelimo was declared the winner of the October 9 elections.
Archbishop Inacio Saure of Nampula, president of Mozambique's bishops' conference, stated, "Certifying a lie is fraud," pointing out issues like ballot box stuffing and forged polling station result sheets. Only half of registered voters participated, marking a low point in the country's multiparty election history.
Protests have spread nationwide amid allegations of rigging and violence against opposition supporters. Archbishop Saure noted that these irregularities have eroded trust in electoral leaders who "abdicated their dignity."
Chapo won with 71% of votes while his closest rival, Venâncio Mondlane, received 20%. Following the announcement, protests turned violent in Maputo as demonstrators accused the electoral commission of bias toward Frelimo.
The bishops cautioned against a return to past violence reminiscent of the civil war from 1977-1992 between Frelimo and Renamo. Archbishop Saure emphasized that "Mozambique must not return to violence" and called for peace and justice.
In addition to election concerns, two opposition leaders were murdered: Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe. Dias was reportedly preparing an election appeal when he was killed on October 19. Archbishop Saure condemned these murders as similar to past politically motivated killings.
European Union observers have called for restraint following these events and advocated for transparent vote tabulation. Meanwhile, Bishop António Juliasse highlighted ongoing hardships in Pemba due to an Islamist insurgency since 2017 that has displaced over one million people.
Fredrick Nzwili reports from Nairobi for OSV News.
