Mozambique seeks to prosecute opposition leader Mo...

Mozambique seeks to prosecute opposition leader Mondlane over post-election unrest

Rutendo Mazhindu

Zim Now Reporter

Mozambique's main opposition leader, Venancio Mondlane, is facing prosecution for his alleged role in the widespread civil unrest that followed last year's disputed general election. A 40-page document presented to Mondlane by prosecutors on Tuesday outlines a series of accusations, including inciting the post-election protests which resulted in over 300 fatalities.

Mondlane, who vehemently denies all accusations, has consistently maintained that President Daniel Chapo of the long-ruling Frelimo party secured victory in the October 2024 election through widespread vote-rigging. While prosecutors in the resource-rich Southern African nation declined to comment, an adviser to Mondlane shared the document with Reuters yesterday, confirming the charges. Mondlane has stated he faces five charges, including inciting and instigating terrorism, incitement to collective disobedience, and condoning and inciting crime.

The post-election protests marked the largest demonstrations against Frelimo since Mozambique gained independence from Portuguese colonial rule in 1975. The ruling Frelimo party denies allegations of electoral fraud, although Western observers, including the European Union Election Observation Mission, reported evidence of irregularities and "unjustified alteration of election results."

The move to prosecute Mondlane comes despite recent attempts to bridge political divides. President Chapo and Mondlane had met for talks in March and again in May, raising hopes for a period of reconciliation. Chapo also initiated a "national dialogue" and extended an invitation to Mondlane to serve on a presidential advisory body.

However, political analysts warn that these new legal proceedings could severely jeopardize such efforts. Louw Nel, a political analyst at Oxford Economics Africa, stated that attempts to prosecute Mondlane would "weigh on the political compromise Mozambique’s political actors reached in March."

The October 2024 general election saw widespread allegations of fraud, particularly from Mondlane's camp. Official results declared Daniel Chapo the winner with 70.7% of the vote, while Mondlane, running as an independent candidate, officially came in second with 20.3%. However, Mondlane's parallel count, based on his election monitors, claimed he won with 53% of the vote.

The subsequent unrest saw security forces responding with heavy-handed tactics, leading to a tragic loss of life. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, reported over 300 unlawful killings during the crackdown, with the vast majority of deaths attributed to security forces. These protests also involved widespread human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions and reports of torture.