Gunmen in Mozambique killed a lawyer and an official from the opposition party Podemos by shooting at their car on Saturday, according to rights groups.
This tragic incident is increasing tensions just before protests against the recent election results, reports Reuters.
Podemos and its presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane are rejecting the initial results that suggest Frelimo, the ruling party for 50 years, and its candidate Daniel Chapo, are likely to win. Podemos has called for a nationwide strike on Monday to challenge these results, Parade explains.
According to More Integrity, a Mozambican civil society group observing the elections, the attack took place in the Bairro Da Coop area of Maputo, the capital.
The victims, lawyer Elvino Dias and party representative Paulo Guambe, died instantly after being shot multiple times.
Human Rights Watch and Mozambique’s Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD) confirmed the killings, with CDD’s director Adriano Nuvunga telling Reuters that this was a “cold-blooded murder,” and that around 10 to 15 bullets were fired.
Nuvunga believes the attack sends a strong warning to those planning to protest on Monday. Reuters notes that both the European Union and Mozambique’s former colonial ruler, Portugal, condemned the killings and called for an investigation.
Chapo, Frelimo’s candidate, also condemned the attack, calling it an assault on democracy, which everyone should defend.
Reuters shares that this violent act further complicates an already tense situation, as opposition candidate Mondlane poses a threat not only to Frelimo but also to the former opposition party, Renamo.
International observers have expressed concerns over the credibility of the election, citing issues like vote-buying, intimidation, and inflated voter lists. As full results are expected on October 24, many fear Monday’s protests might lead to violence.
Rights groups have reported that Mozambican security forces have used deadly force against protesters in the past, including during last year’s local elections, Reuters says.