The death toll from Mozambique’s post-election unrest has risen to 261, with most fatalities attributed to police gunfire, according to local monitoring group Decide Platform.
While the capital, Maputo, showed signs of calm on Friday, violence persisted in other regions, including the northern port city of Nacala, noted Wilker Dias, director of Decide Platform, which has been tracking the ongoing crisis in the southeastern African nation.
The unrest follows the late October announcement of a landslide victory for Mozambique’s ruling party, in power since 1975. The opposition rejected the election results, alleging fraud, sparking waves of protests and demonstrations.
Police have used teargas and live ammunition to disperse crowds, with the death toll surging after the Constitutional Council confirmed the ruling party’s victory on Monday.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for Mozambique’s political leaders to engage in meaningful dialogue, avoid violence, and intensify efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
As of Friday, Maputo was gradually returning to normal, according to the state broadcaster. However, the unrest has left significant scars on the nation’s economy. Businesses have been looted and torched, and violence has disrupted operations in key industries, including mining, natural gas exports, and aluminum production.
A ruby mine in northern Mozambique, which produces nearly half of the world’s supply, suspended operations on December 24 after around 200 people attempted to invade the facility. Two individuals were fatally shot during a clash with security forces, majority owner Gemfields Group Ltd. reported. The company plans to resume operations by the year’s end.
Mozambique’s 2031 Eurobond dropped 0.8% to 80.7 cents on the dollar, marking its lowest level in over a year and making it one of the worst-performing bonds in Bloomberg’s index of emerging and frontier markets.
Despite a reduction in unrest earlier this week, the death toll is expected to rise as more incidents are reported. On Wednesday, 11 charred bodies were discovered in a warehouse on the outskirts of Maputo. State-owned Noticias newspaper reported that the fire likely started during looting.
Wilker Dias cautioned that violence could intensify on January 15, the date set for the inauguration of President-elect Daniel Chapo. Meanwhile, the Mozambique Bar Association has urged for “genuine dialogue and compromises based on respect for differences” to prevent further escalation.
