MAPUTO/BLANTYRE, Dec 27 – More than 2,000 Mozambican families have crossed into Malawi this week to escape escalating violence following a contested presidential election in October, Malawian officials said.
Dominic Mwandira, district commissioner for Nsanje, confirmed that 2,182 households have sought refuge in the border district. In a letter to Malawi’s commissioner for refugees, Mwandira described an urgent need for humanitarian aid for the displaced families.
Violent protests erupted in Mozambique after the electoral commission announced that the ruling Frelimo party had retained power. The situation worsened on Monday when the Constitutional Council validated the election results, triggering more demonstrations. Monitoring group Plataforma Decide reported 125 deaths since the council’s decision and 252 fatalities since late October.
The unrest has disrupted businesses in the capital, Maputo, where banks and other establishments were closed on Friday. Security patrols were deployed after a deadly Christmas Day prison riot left 33 people dead and over 1,500 inmates escaped, though some were later recaptured.
Foreign companies in Mozambique have also been affected. Gemfields Group temporarily shut down operations at its ruby mine after attackers attempted to storm employee housing and set structures ablaze. Security forces killed two people during the incident, the company said.
Venancio Mondlane, the opposition leader who officially placed second in the presidential election, has rejected the results and urged his supporters to continue protesting without engaging in vandalism.
