Mozambique: 3,000 refugees flood into Malawi and Eswatini
The disputed presidential election in Mozambique on October 9, 2024, has resulted in violent unrest, causing over 3,000 Mozambicans to flee into neighbouring Malawi and Eswatini. Reported by The North Africa Post on January 5, 2024, 2,000 Mozambican refugees sought refuge in Malawi in just one week, and officials in Eswatini reported 1,000 refugees entered the country. The protests and violent government crackdown have claimed hundreds of lives, with the BBC reporting that more than 270 people have been killed, including protesters, children and members of the security forces.
The elections held on October 9th, 2024, saw the Frelimo party extend its fifty-year rule when the electoral commission declared Chapo, the Frelimo leader, the winner of the election with 71 percent of the vote. The leader of the opposition, Mondlane, garnered 20 percent of the vote and subsequently fled the country in fear of his life, after two of his aides were shot dead. However, from exile, Mondlane has called for protests to continue until “electoral truth” is achieved. Venâncio Mondlane has said he will return to the country on Thursday (January 9th) before Chapo is sworn in as president.
The protests have also included the storming of prison compounds, which has resulted in over 1,500 inmates escaping. Only one-tenth have been recaptured at the time of writing. The escape led to violent clashes between fugitives, prison staff, and police, and resulted in 33 deaths and 15 injuries. The North Africa Post also reported that “at least 30 jihadists are reported to be among the escapees, including one individual classified as “highly dangerous”. Escalating tensions and unrest in the country have forced Mozambicans to flee in fear.
The Frelimo Party has ruled Mozambique since 1975 and created a one-party, Marxist-Leninist state. Following the Mozambique Civil War multi-party elections and political competition were introduced however opposition figures have always argued these elections have been rigged in Frelimo’s favour. In the case of the 2024 October election, the BBC reported that international election observers have stated the vote may have been flawed, “pointing to doctored numbers and other irregularities during the counting process”.
The Frelimo Party has responded to protests with a violent crackdown. According to the BBC, Mondlane has said, “if they are killing my brothers… then I will be there. You can do what you want. If you want to murder, murder. If you want to arrest, arrest too. I will be there,” he said. What will occur when Mondlane returns to Mozambique is unknown.
The North Africa Post
