Mozambique opposition leader Venancio Mondlane speaks to the media as he arrives at the Maputo International Airport in Mozambique on Jan. 9.REGULO CUNA/Reuters
Mozambique’s main opposition leader, returning from self-imposed exile, was welcomed Thursday by huge crowds of supporters who defied volleys of police bullets and tear gas to greet him at the airport and in the streets of the capital.
Venancio Mondlane, holding a Bible, dropped to his knees in prayer at Maputo airport and declared himself the winner of the disputed October election. The official victor, the ruling party’s Daniel Chapo, is scheduled to be sworn into office next week despite months of fierce protests across the country.
Tens of thousands of supporters celebrated in the streets and mobbed Mr. Mondlane’s vehicle as his convoy moved slowly through Maputo after his arrival. He had fled into exile in an unidentified country in October after two of his aides were assassinated.
Security forces blocked roads to the airport and tried to disperse the crowds with tear gas and live ammunition. Videos posted online showed clashes and injuries, with several deaths reported among the supporters. The videos also showed men in civilian clothes with assault rifles on residential streets, firing their weapons and chasing people into their homes.
The October election results were widely seen as rigged by the government. European Union observers said they had evidence of “unjustified alteration of election results,” and Catholic bishops denounced the official vote count. Nearly 300 people have been killed in three months of post-election protests.
Protesters torch police stations in Mozambique after ruling party’s victory upheld by court
The ruling party, Frelimo, has dominated Mozambique for 50 years – since the country gained independence from Portugal. The protests that followed October’s election are its biggest challenge in decades, inflicting havoc on the economy and causing thousands of refugees to flee. Protesters have torched police stations, court buildings and Frelimo offices across the country of 35 million people.
“Mozambicans seemed to have finally lost their fear of the repressive authorities,” said Luca Bussotti, a professor at Technical University of Mozambique, in a commentary published this week.
Mr. Mondlane, speaking to journalists at the airport, said he returned to Mozambique to show he has no fear of the authorities. He said he was willing to hold talks with the government. Until now, he has been excluded from post-election talks the government has held with several opposition parties.
“I’m here, in the flesh, to say that if they want to negotiate, if they want to talk … I’m here,” he said.
Videos posted on social media show his popularity remains strong, with even the airport staff applauding him as he walked off the plane.
Official election results said Mr. Chapo had received 71 per cent of the vote and Mr. Mondlane had secured 20 per cent. The country’s highest court, the Constitutional Council, adjusted the results last month without any explanation, giving 65 per cent to Mr. Chapo and 24 per cent to Mr. Mondlane. Four of its seven judges were appointed by the ruling party.
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The disputed election has caused economic chaos for months, often forcing the shutdown of major highways, border crossings and ports where minerals are exported. Some analysts, including those at South Africa’s Standard Bank, believe the unrest has plunged Mozambique into an economic contraction.
A business group, the Confederation of Economic Associations, said the political turmoil has damaged more than 500 companies and caused the loss of more than 12,000 jobs. Ship arrivals have been disrupted, fuel shortages have occurred, energy production has been curtailed, shops have been looted and about 13,000 people have fled to neighbouring Malawi for shelter.
Neighbouring countries, including South Africa, have also suffered economic damage as a result of disrupted trade and energy supplies.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional bloc, said this week that the turmoil “directly impacts the socio-economic fabric of the entire SADC region.” It said the situation was “hindering regional trade in critical sectors like energy and transport.”
Civil society leaders in Mozambique have pleaded for help from South Africa, the biggest country in the region. Some asked South African politicians to prevent Mr. Chapo’s inauguration next week.
But there is little willingness in the region to challenge Frelimo’s power. South Africa’s long-ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), has traditionally supported the dominant parties in Mozambique and Zimbabwe that took power after colonialism, seeing them as fellow liberation movements.
The ANC was quick to congratulate Frelimo for its official victory. And when President Cyril Ramaphosa sent an envoy to Mozambique to offer help in the crisis, the envoy met only with the government.