Maputo, Mozambique – Gunmen shot and killed a prominent Mozambique opposition lawyer and a party official on Saturday, escalating tensions ahead of planned protests over disputed election results. The attack occurred in Maputo’s Bairro Da Coop neighborhood, where opposition figures Elvino Dias, a lawyer for Podemos, and Paulo Guambe, a party representative, were targeted.
Rights groups have condemned the killings, describing them as politically motivated as the country braces for a nationwide strike on Monday. Podemos and its presidential candidate, Venancio Mondlane, have rejected provisional results showing a likely win for Frelimo, Mozambique’s ruling party for five decades, and its candidate, Daniel Chapo.
Human Rights Watch and the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD) confirmed the killings, with CDD director Adriano Nuvunga calling the attack a “cold-blooded murder.” Nuvunga stated that around 10 to 15 bullets were fired, killing Dias and Guambe instantly. He also suggested the attack was intended as a warning to opposition protesters ahead of the strike.
The European Union and Portugal condemned the killings and called for an investigation, while Frelimo candidate Chapo labeled the attack an “affront” to democratic values.
Mozambique’s upcoming election has been marred by allegations of vote-buying, intimidation, and inflated voter rolls. Concerns over the credibility of the election have been raised, as tensions rise ahead of Monday’s protests. Rights groups warn that the security forces have a history of using deadly force on protesters.
