Police in the capital of Mozambique, Maputo, reported that a riot occurred in the local prison, resulting in the escape of 1,534 inmates. There are clashes in the streets after the court's decision that Daniel Chapo, the candidate of the Frelimo party, won the presidential elections. The opposition claims that the elections were rigged.
The capital police reported that 33 people were killed and 15 injured in the fighting near the prison building. The identities of the dead and wounded were not disclosed. It was reported that 150 fugitives were captured.
The local justice minister said that the unrest started inside the prison and had nothing to do with the protests on the city streets. The police have a different opinion.
According to data provided by the Minister of Interior on Tuesday, at least 21 people died in the riots in the country's capital.
A burning barricade during riots after the Constitutional Council declared that Daniel Chapo had won the presidential election in MozambiquePAP/EPA/PAULO JULIAO
According to the central electoral commission, the election on October 9 was won by Daniel Chapo – the candidate of the ruling Frelimo party Mozambique continuously since independence in 1975. He was to receive 71 percent of the votes, and the opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane – 36 percent.
Constitutional Council, that is Supreme Court in Mozambique, however, reported different voting results on Tuesday. According to them, Chapo received about 65 percent of the votes and Mondlane received about 24 percent. In the parallel parliamentary elections, it also awarded Frelimo fewer seats than the central electoral commission. The reason for these differences was not explained.
Daniel Chapo poses for a photo with his voters PAP/EPA
The opposition does not believe in the official results
The opposition claims that Mondlane won the presidential election with 53 percent support. Western observers agreed that the elections were neither free nor fair. The opposition candidate rejected the results announced on Monday.
When Mozambique's central electoral commission announced the vote results at the end of October, it sparked mass protests. Demonstrators took to the streets of many cities and there were clashes with security services, in which at least 130 people died. Civil unrest has already impacted the operations of foreign companies, including Australian mining company South32. Due to the unrest, neighboring South Africa temporarily closed its main border crossing with Mozambique.
Riots in MozambiqueLUISA NHANTUMBO/PAP/EPA
The new president of Mozambique is scheduled to be sworn in in January.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/PAULO JULIAO