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Opposition Leader Returns to Mozambique Amid Post-Election Unrest
Venâncio Mondlane, Mozambique's opposition leader, has returned to the country after self-imposed exile, expressing readiness for dialogue with the government following claims that the October elections were rigged against him.
Arriving at Maputo International Airport, Mondlane knelt in apparent prayer before addressing journalists, adorned with a garland of fake flowers. Cheering supporters surrounded his car as he departed the airport.
The nation has witnessed widespread protests since the presidential and parliamentary elections on October 9, which Mondlane and his party, Podemos, assert they won. Reports from a local monitoring group estimate that over 280 individuals have been killed by security forces during this period.
“I wanted to challenge the narrative that I left voluntarily,” Mondlane stated, emphasizing his willingness to engage in negotiations. He added that he returned to witness and address what he described as a "silent genocide" against his supporters and to confront allegations that he incited the damage during the demonstrations.
Daniel Chapo, the candidate of Frelimo, Mozambique's ruling party since independence in 1975, is set to be inaugurated as president on January 15. On December 23, the country's highest court confirmed that Chapo secured 65.2% of the vote, while Mondlane was credited with 24.2%. The ruling spurred another wave of protests from Mondlane's supporters.
Election observers have identified evidence of irregularities, though analysts suggest that Frelimo might have still emerged victorious without manipulation.
Outgoing President Felipe Nyusi initiated calls for dialogue with Mondlane in November, stating in December that they had conversed by phone.
Mondlane previously disclosed that he had fled the country out of fear for his life. On October 19, two of his associates—lawyer Elvino Dias and filmmaker Paulo Guambe—were fatally shot by unknown assailants. No arrests have been made, with human rights researchers noting a troubling pattern of targeted violence against opposition figures in Mozambique.
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