KEY POINTS
- Post-election violence in Mozambique has claimed at least 252 lives since late October, fueling protests and displacing thousands of families into Malawi.
- Mozambique’s Constitutional Council validated disputed election results, sparking intensified unrest and impacting major foreign businesses like Gemfields, South32, and Sasol.
- Over 2,000 Mozambican families have sought refuge in Malawi’s Nsanje district, highlighting the growing humanitarian crisis and urgent need for aid.
More than 2,000 families from Mozambique have fled to neighboring Malawi this week as unrest stemming from disputed October elections continues to escalate.
The violence, according to Reuters,  led to the deaths of dozens, erupted following the electoral commission’s declaration that the ruling Frelimo party had secured victory, a result opposition groups have condemned as fraudulent.
Rising tensions and humanitarian crisis
Authorities in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, have responded to the escalating violence by closing some businesses, including banks, and increasing security patrols following a deadly prison riot and escape on December 25.Â
The nation has been in turmoil for nearly two months as protests intensified after Frelimo’s candidate was confirmed as the winner of the presidential race.
Mozambique’s Constitutional Council’s decision on Monday to validate the election results further fueled demonstrations, which have resulted in at least 125 deaths since the court’s ruling and a total of 252 fatalities since late October, according to the monitoring group Plataforma Decide.
In response to the violence, 2,182 Mozambican households crossed into Malawi’s Nsanje district by Wednesday, seeking refuge. Dominic Mwandira, the district commissioner, highlighted the dire humanitarian needs, urging immediate assistance for those affected.
Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, who rejected the election outcome and was declared the runner-up, has called for continued protests but has urged his supporters to avoid looting and damaging infrastructure.
Impact on business and security concerns
The unrest has had a significant impact on foreign businesses operating in Mozambique. Mining companies, including Gemfields Group and South32, as well as petrochemical giant Sasol, have been directly affected.
Operations at Gemfields’ major ruby mine were suspended on Tuesday after violent incidents, including an attempt by over 200 individuals to breach a residential area, which resulted in the deaths of two people shot by Mozambican security forces.
A deadly prison riot on Christmas Day left at least 33 dead, with more than 1,500 prisoners escaping, although many have since been recaptured.
Frelimo has been in power since the end of the war for independence from Portuguese colonial rule in 1975. Western observers have criticized this year’s elections as neither free nor fair, amplifying concerns over the political and security situation in the country.
