MAPUTO, (TDI): Six people were reportedly shot dead by police in Mozambique during protests coinciding with the inauguration of new members of parliament, according to the election monitoring group Plataforma DECIDE.
The group reported three deaths in Zambezia province and three more in Inhambane province on Monday, raising the death toll to 300 since the protests began.
Opposition presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane, disputing the results of the October 9 elections, called for three days of renewed demonstrations starting on Monday.
Mozambique has witnessed ongoing unrest since October 21, when the ruling Frelimo Party’s presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, was declared the winner with 71% of the vote, defeating Mondlane, who secured just 20%.
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Mondlane has rejected the results despite the constitutional court, the nation’s highest authority on electoral matters, affirming Chapo’s victory while revising his vote share to 65%.
On Monday, the Southeastern African nation inaugurated 250 lawmakers.
Plataforma DECIDE’s report stated that a total of 613 people have been shot since the demonstrations began, with 4,229 individuals detained.
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President-elect Daniel Chapo is scheduled to be inaugurated on Wednesday. However, Mondlane has vowed to hold his own inauguration as president on the same day.
