MAPUTO:
Mozambique’s opposition leader, who has led more than two months of deadly protests against disputed election results outside the country, announced Sunday that he would return ahead of the new president’s inauguration.
Venancio Mondlane, who left Mozambique after his lawyer was shot dead on October 19, said in a live speech on Facebook that he would arrive at Maputo’s Mavalane airport on Thursday.
From his self-exile in an unknown location, he called for demonstrations against the results of the October 9 elections, which he claimed were rigged in favor of the ruling Frelimo party, in power for 50 years.
The protests have been responded to with harsh police repression. The violence has left around 300 people dead, according to a count by a local human rights group, and authorities also reported looting and vandalism.
“If they’re killing my brothers, they’re killing my brothers, then I’ll be there,” Mondlane said.
“If it’s for me, if it’s for Venancio, then Venancio will be at Mavalane International Airport on Thursday at 8 a.m.,” he said.
The final official results of the poll said Mondlane won 24 percent of the presidential vote, compared to 65 percent for Frelimo candidate Daniel Chapo.
Mondlane, 50, insists the election was stolen from him and that another recount said he was the winner. Several international observation missions have also said there were irregularities.
El Chapo, 47, will be sworn in on Jan. 15, replacing President Filipe Nyusi at the end of his two-term limit. His Frelimo has governed the country since independence from Portugal in 1975.
Mondlane, a charismatic speaker who appeals to Mozambique’s disenchanted youth, appeared to ignore criminal and civil charges that authorities have brought against him, including damage caused during protests by his supporters.
“You can do whatever you want,” he said, apparently addressing the authorities. “If you want to murder, murder. If you want to arrest, arrest too. I will be there.” The opposition leader has previously claimed that there were attempts to assassinate him.
While Mondlane maintains his rejection of the results and his call for “electoral truth”, the leaders of the main political parties agreed to take their seats in the new parliament, although they claim that there were irregularities in the elections. AFP
