Mozambique’s opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, whose whereabouts were unknown on Wednesday, has called for a week-long strike to protest the result of a presidential election, AFP reported.
Tensions have simmered in the Southern African nation where the ruling Frelimo party, in power for 49 years, won an October 9 vote.
Opposition parties and election observers have denounced irregularities in the vote.
Mondlane, 50, who is backed by the small Podemos party and claimed victory shortly after the vote, has called for a nationwide strike from October 31 to November 7.
‘Public demonstration’
“We’re going to start a public demonstration, a week-long strike,” he said in a Facebook discussion on Tuesday.
He also said he had to “cross four borders… to do this live”, with speculation mounting about his whereabouts.
Police said they were investigating Mondlane after he staged protests last week, which could explain his possible departure from the country.
“The Mozambique Republic Police (PRM) has already opened a criminal case against Venancio Mondlane and his supporters for the crimes of arson and possession of a firearm,” spokesperson Orlando Mudumane told reporters.
Widely used social media to communicate
Mondlane has widely used social media platforms to communicate with supporters, though the strategy has been complicated by internet disruptions in the country.
According to the electoral commission, Frelimo’s Daniel Chapo, 47, won the presidential race with 71% of votes while Mondlane got 20%.
Podemos, which overshadowed the main opposition party Renamo, on Monday seized the country’s Constitutional Court asking for a vote recount.
According to the Public Integrity Center (CIP) advocacy group, opposition parties are discussing proposing a national unity government.
At least 11 people killed in protests
“The idea is to unite the opposition in a single front to oppose the results of the most fraudulent elections since 1999,” CIP said in a statement.
At least 11 people were killed by police in post-electoral violence and more than 50 others were injured, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Police previously said that 20 people had been injured and that two people had died, without giving further details.
It remained unclear if people would heed Mondlane’s fresh call to “paralyse” the country and take to the streets from northern Cabo Delgado to the capital Maputo, more than 2,200 kilometres away (about 1,300 miles).
Electoral flaws
Mozambique’s Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told reporters that “nothing can be solved with violent actions.”
“The defence and security forces will continue to carry out their mission (to ensure) the free movement of people and goods,” Ronda told reporters.
Election observers, including from the European Union, have noted serious flaws before, during and after the vote.
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