At least 11 people were killed and dozens more injured after security forces used live bullets and tear gas during post-election protests on Friday in Mozambique, according to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday. Some victims were as young as one year old, while others were struck by stray bullets inside their own homes. Police have detained over 400 people, citing charges for public disorder, looting, destruction of public and private property, and an attack on a police station.

The Africa advocacy director at HRW, Allan Ngari, condemned the violence and urged international partners to press the government to ensure security forced to abide by the law. He addressed the issue, stating:

The Mozambique security forces’ violent crackdown on protesters has severely increased political tensions following the country’s elections. Mozambican authorities should promptly and impartially investigate alleged misuse of force and hold those responsible accountable.

Mozambique presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane called for a one-week general strike in contestation of the election results. The strike, which will include demonstrations at the district headquarters of the National Electoral Commission (CNE), is set to begin on October 31 and last until November 7. The Mozambican Police responded to this call by opening criminal proceedings against Mondlane and his supporters, holding them responsible for the post-election protests and violence. 

The CNE announced on October 24 the victory of Daniel Chapo in the October 9 general elections. Chapo, set to become the next President of the Republic, won with 70.67 per cent of the votes. Mondlane rejected these results, despite coming in second with only 20.32 per cent of the votes. Mondlane argues that fraudulent actions took place during the election, alleging that in some regions the voter rolls were tampered with. The African Union, European Union, and the Commonwealth also raised serious concerns about the credibility of the election process and results and called for a thorough investigation into the allegations. 

A few days before the announcement of the results, Mondlane’s lawyer and a senior official from the PODEMOS party were killed by gunfire following allegations of fraud and intimidation against opposition parties, intensifying political tensions in the country.

Violence escalated in the country since the election results with protestors rejecting the preliminary victory announcement for the ruling party. Opposition groups aligned with Mondlane and the PODEMOS party allege significant irregularities in the election process, fueling unrest across the nation.