Maputo, Mozambique — Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets on Thursday, voicing their anger and frustration over the country’s recent general election results.

The demonstrations, which have escalated into violent clashes in some areas, have sparked fears of political instability in the Southern African nation.

The unrest follows the announcement of results from the October 9, 2024, presidential and legislative elections, in which the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) and its presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, claimed victory. 

Since the demos began on 21 Oct, at least 30 people have been killed, according to civil society, and hundreds have been injured.

Opposition parties, notably the PODEMOS, Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM) and the main opposition party, the Renamo, have accused FRELIMO of electoral fraud, voter suppression, and manipulating the results to maintain power.

Protests were harsh in the capital city, Maputo, Matola.

The capital city awoke heavily guarded by the military, which was deployed to guard sensitive infrastructure like ports, energy utilities, government buildings, and the president’s office and house.

Protesters from all over Maputo and Matola tried to reach the president’s office and palace. Still, the military curtailed their progress on Eduardo Mondlane Ave, one of the city’s main streets.

There was a moment of tension between the protesters and the soldiers.

People were chanting “people in power”, a popular slogan made famous by a late local hip-pop musician and activist Azagaia, who took it from a famous speech by Samora Machel, the first president of independent Mozambique. 

This group was dispersed when the police resorted to launching tear gas and shot in the air.

Across town, demonstrators have blocked roads, staged sit-ins, and clashed with police forces. Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, while some areas have witnessed more violent confrontations.

Opposition leaders, including Podemos, Venancio Mondlane, who is running for president, MDM’s candidate, Lutero Simango, and Renamo’s Ossufo Momade, have called for an independent investigation into the election results.

The parties argue that the electoral process was marred by irregularities, including the exclusion of opposition party observers from polling stations and claims of vote tampering.

“The people’s will has been ignored by the electoral body as they declared the ruling Frelimo party and its presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, the winners,” said Julio Muxanga, a 23 yrs old unemployed protester.

 “We demand justice and transparency. The results cannot be allowed to stand”, he adds, while holding a placard with the words “Frelimo out, down with the tyrants”.

The government and the ruling party are calling for calm and urging people and political actors to wait until the end of the electoral process, when the Constitutional Council declares the final outcome.

Before the CC, the National Electoral Commission (CNE) announced Chapo as the winner of the presidential race, with over 70% of votes, and Frelimo as the winner of the parliamentary election, scooping 195 seats out of 250 of the National Assembly.

Mondlane came second with 20% of the votes, and the party that supported his candidacy, Podemos, got 31 seats.

Observer organizations and civil society have denounced the elections as marred by irregularities, chiefly vote stuffing and editing voting process minutes.

The protests come during economic hardship in Mozambique, with many citizens grappling with rising inflation, unemployment, and the aftermath of recent natural disasters. Analysts suggest that the election dispute has further strained social cohesion in a country already facing significant economic challenges.

While FRELIMO has called for calm and urged citizens to accept the election results, the party’s critics argue that the ruling party has stifled dissent and created a political environment in which opposition voices are marginalized.

The situation remains tense, and many are watching closely to see how Mozambique’s leadership responds to the growing unrest. The next few days could determine whether the demonstrations subside or escalate into more widespread violence.

The Lebombo Border Post between Mozambique and South Africa was closed on Wednesday after protesters burned immigration offices on the Mozambican aside, looted some trucks and vandalised cars and houses belonging to immigration officials.

Long queues of trucks snaked along the highway leading to the border bost, with some drivers complaining of starvation and lack of ablution facilities.