Mozambican police opened fire on supporters of opposition leader Venancio Mondlane during a march in the capital, Maputo, on Wednesday, injuring at least 10 people, according to Mondlane’s team and Human Rights Watch. The protest took place just hours before President Daniel Chapo signed an agreement with some political parties to address ongoing unrest over last year’s disputed election results.
A police spokesperson confirmed that law enforcement had intervened to disperse the marchers but did not provide further details. Mondlane’s supporters had gathered in opposition to Chapo’s contested election victory, arguing that the president’s talks with other political parties—excluding Mondlane—would not lead to meaningful political reform.
Amid the chaos, Mondlane’s whereabouts remain unknown. His team reported that at least 16 people were injured when police broke up the demonstration. A video broadcast live from Mondlane’s Facebook page showed him standing in a car, surrounded by cheering supporters, before gunshots rang out, causing people to flee. The video cut off abruptly, adding to concerns about his safety. Mondlane has not responded to calls from journalists, further deepening uncertainty.
Zenaida Machado, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, condemned the police’s actions, warning that firing on peaceful demonstrators jeopardizes Mozambique’s stability. Political analyst Joao Feijo also criticized the government’s exclusion of Mondlane from negotiations, arguing that any agreement without his involvement would be ineffective in calming tensions.
Since protests erupted in late October, more than 350 people have been killed in post-election demonstrations, according to civil society monitoring group Plataforma Decide. Despite this, Mondlane remains defiant, vowing to continue anti-government protests “for years if necessary” to challenge what he and his supporters see as fraudulent election results. Western observers have also criticized the vote, calling it neither free nor fair.
Frelimo, Mozambique’s ruling party since the country’s independence from Portugal in 1975, denies allegations of electoral fraud. However, analysts warn that unless Mondlane is included in the dialogue, efforts to restore stability in the resource-rich nation will likely falter.
