2 Dead, 70 Arrested in Mozambique Election Protests Amid Fraud Allegation Against Ruling Party

Local elections lead to violent protests and allegations of fraud as ruling party Frelimo received victory in nearly all municipalities, resulting in loss of control for the opposition party Renamo.

• Protests broke out in Mozambique following the validation of local election results, which saw the ruling Frelimo party secure victory in 64 out of 65 municipalities.
• The main opposition party, Renamo, accuses the ruling party of widespread ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and falsification of results during the October 11 elections.
• Two fatalities were reported during the protests; a police officer in Nampula and a civilian in Nacala. A child and another person were seriously injured by tear gas grenades in Nampula.
• 70 people were arrested in connection to the protests in four cities; 60 in Nampula, four in Maputo, and the remainder in Nacala and the central city of Quelimane.
• A parallel count by an election observers consortium contests the official election results, claiming that Renamo beat Frelimo in major cities including Quelimane, Nampula, Matola, and Maputo.

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