Protests supporting opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, who challenges the results of Mozambique’s October 9 elections, intensified on Wednesday, November 27. Demonstrations erupted in multiple locations, including the capital, Maputo, where violent clashes broke out after a police vehicle struck a woman, further inflaming tensions.
Mondlane, who alleges he was the rightful winner against ruling Frelimo party candidate Daniel Chapo, has mobilized a protest movement accusing authorities of election fraud. Official results, however, show Chapo as the victor with 71% of the vote, while Mondlane secured 20%.
In Maputo, chaos ensued when an armored police vehicle rammed into a woman standing behind a protest banner. The incident, caught on video and widely circulated online, shows the woman being thrown to the ground. Witnesses described her injuries as severe, with broken limbs. “Her arm is broken, her leg is broken,” said one onlooker. “We don’t know if she will survive.”
The incident triggered clashes between protesters and security forces. Some demonstrators hurled stones, prompting the police to respond with live ammunition and tear gas, according to reports from journalists at the scene.
Elsewhere in Maputo, around 100 protesters marched through the city center, chanting slogans such as “Frelimo out!” Demonstrator Olavio José, 24, expressed frustration: “We are asking for Venancio Mondlane to be our president because that is what we voted for.”
Protests also spread to Ressano Garcia, near Mozambique’s main border crossing with South Africa. Demonstrators blocked trucks from passing through, causing significant disruptions. The border has been closed several times in recent weeks due to post-election unrest, South African customs officials confirmed.
These demonstrations and the government’s heavy-handed response highlight the growing political crisis in Mozambique. Opposition supporters are increasingly vocal in their rejection of both the election results and the governance of the long-dominant Frelimo party, signaling deepening divides in the country’s political landscape.