At least 176 people have been killed by police in Mozambique following violent protests triggered by supporters of self-exiled presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane. The protests erupted in response to allegations of electoral fraud in the country’s general elections held on October 9, 2024.
The unrest, described by Mondlane as the “Turbo V8” phase, began on December 23, 2024, after the Constitutional Council, Mozambique’s highest legal body, upheld the results of the election, which declared the ruling Frelimo party and its candidate, Daniel Chapo, as the victors. Mondlane’s supporters, who have been protesting since October, claimed the election was rigged, and the ruling further fueled their anger.
The protests, which lasted for four days, marked the deadliest escalation in a series of demonstrations that had started in late October. Since the beginning of the unrest, at least 278 people have lost their lives across the country, with the latest surge in casualties attributed to a prison break involving thousands of inmates from Maputo’s Central Prison and Top Security Prison.
According to the “Decide” Electoral Platform, a prominent Mozambican NGO, the most fatalities occurred in the southern city of Matola, with 37 deaths, while the central province of Manica reported just one fatality. The violence also involved widespread shootings, with 240 individuals shot during the “Turbo V8” phase, bringing the total number of shooting victims since the protests began to 586. Maputo City recorded the highest number of shootings, with 62 cases, while the northern province of Niassa had the fewest with only one.
The protests have also led to mass arrests. In the “Turbo V8” phase, 167 people were detained, bringing the total number of arrests since the start of the demonstrations to 4,201. Sofala province saw the highest number of arrests with 54 detainees, while Inhambane province recorded the lowest, with just one arrest.
The escalating violence has left the nation on edge, with the potential for further unrest as the political crisis continues to unfold. Authorities have yet to comment on the growing death toll and the broader implications of the unrest, which has significantly shaken Mozambique’s political landscape.