MAPUTO: Venancio Mondlane, the opposition leader who has spent over two months in exile after the deadly protests sparked by Mozambique’s disputed election results, announced on Sunday that he would return home ahead of the presidential inauguration.
Mondlane, who fled the country after his lawyer was murdered in October, declared in a Facebook live broadcast that he would arrive at Maputo’s Mavalane Airport on Thursday. From his unknown hideout, Mondlane has been calling for mass protests against the October 9 election, which he claims was rigged in favor of the long-ruling Frelimo party.
The unrest that followed has been marked by violent crackdowns, leaving at least 300 dead, according to local human rights groups. Despite the toll, Mondlane remains resolute, vowing to return and confront the government, stating, “If they are killing my brothers, they are murdering my brothers, then I will be there.”
With final results showing Mondlane secured only 24 percent of the vote compared to the Frelimo candidate’s 65 percent, Mondlane insists the election was stolen and claims other counts show he was the rightful winner. His return coincides with the January 15 inauguration of Frelimo’s Daniel Chapo, who will succeed President Filipe Nyusi after two terms.
Mondlane, a fiery orator with significant appeal among Mozambique’s youth, dismissed the criminal charges against him, declaring his determination to return and continue his fight for what he calls “electoral truth,” even in the face of personal risks.
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