The death toll from Mozambique’s violent post-election unrest has reached at least 150, with the majority of casualties occurring since Monday. According to the civil society organization Plataforma Decide, at least 121 deaths have been reported since the election results were confirmed.
The violence erupted after the Constitutional Council announced that Daniel Chapo, the candidate from the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), had won the presidency with 65% of the vote. Opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane, who secured 24%, rejected the results, alleging widespread manipulation and fraud.
Tensions escalated as protests and riots broke out across the country, with Mondlane calling for demonstrations against what he described as a rigged election. As the unrest intensified, more than 1,500 prisoners took advantage of the chaos and escaped from a local prison. Police Chief Bernardino Rafael confirmed that 33 inmates were killed and 15 others injured during clashes with guards.
Mondlane, who has since fled the country, had warned in a social media post over the weekend that a popular uprising could occur if the election results were not overturned. The ongoing violence and political instability have placed Mozambique under increasing pressure as authorities struggle to contain the situation.