The attendees at a cemetery in Maputo, the capital of crisis-stricken Mozambique, were notably youthful, with children weeping as they said goodbye to a 16-year-old friend who was fatally shot while participating in a protest organized by the opposition against the results of last month’s presidential election.
“Antonio was shot in the mouth, and the bullet exited through the back of his head,” his uncle, Manuel Samuel, “we viewed CCTV footage from nearby stores showing police firing at the protesters,” according to information gathered by africa24hrsnews.
The death of Antonio Juaqim serves as a poignant reminder of the unstable political environment in the southern African nation since Frelimo, the former liberation movement that has been in power for 49 years, was announced as the election winner.
The electoral commission reported that Frelimo’s presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, secured an overwhelming 71% of the votes, while his nearest competitor, Venâncio Mondlane, garnered only 20%. Mondlane, an evangelical pastor who ran as an independent after departing from the main opposition Renamo party, has disputed the results, claiming the election was manipulated.
Although the electoral commission has refuted these allegations, africa24hrsnews learnt that Mondlane, who has since fled the country out of fear of arrest, has mobilized his supporters through social media to protest the election outcome. Each night at 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT), citizens have been banging pots and pans in their homes, responding to Mondlane’s call to express their rejection of an extension of Frelimo’s nearly half-century rule.
Supporters of Venâncio Mondlane are advocating for a governmental change. Mr. Samuel reported that the initial protest occurred on the evening of November 15, when a significant number of individuals took to the streets, creating noise with pots, pans, and bottles, as well as blowing whistles. “It felt as if a new Mozambique was emerging,” he remarked. Unfortunately, the night concluded tragically, with Antonio among those who lost their lives at the hands of the police, according to Mr. Samuel.
Mozambique main opposition leader
Since that incident, many have continued to express their dissent from within their homes, with the sounds of clanging pots and pans resonating throughout Maputo at 21:00 each night. At Antonio’s funeral, held four days after his death at the São Francisco Xavier Cemetery, a friend delivered a eulogy on behalf of his mother: “You were brimming with life and hope. Now, you have become a victim of gunfire.” In tears, Antonio’s friends placed flowers on his grave and released colorful balloons above it, symbolizing his youth.
Mr. Manuel recounted that, “At the morgue, I counted six bodies of young children.” He lamented, “They are taking our lives and our future.” The organization Human Rights Watch reported that approximately 40 individuals, including at least 10 children, have been killed by police during the protests following the elections.
Bernadino Raphael, the police commander of Mozambique, expressed condolences to the victims’ families but shifted the blame for the fatalities onto Mondlane’s supporters. He claimed in an interview made available to africa24hrsnews, “They are using children as human shields while they remain behind.” The commander further stated that in numerous cases, the police had no alternative but to protect themselves from protesters who had resorted to violence, which included the deaths of six officers and acts of looting and arson. “We documented 103 injuries, 69 of which were police officers,” he noted.
Many citizens of Mozambique are increasingly concerned about the future in light of the unrest following the elections. However, Albino Forquilha, the leader of the Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique, which supported Mondlane’s presidential campaign, accused the police of employing excessive force to quell opposition.
It was evident, according to him, that Frelimo’s popularity had diminished, particularly among the youth who were “seeking employment, pursuing vocational training, looking for land to construct their homes, and in need of financial resources.” Mr. Nhamirre remarked, “They are indifferent to who achieved independence. What they desire is their own financial autonomy.” Following the announcement of the results on 24 October, Chapo firmly asserted that he and Frelimo had triumphed in a transparent and equitable election, stating, “We are a well-organized party that prepares for its victories.”
Since that time, he has maintained a notably subdued presence, awaiting the court’s decision regarding Mondlane’s request to invalidate the results. In a clear effort to maintain pressure prior to the ruling, many of Mondlane’s supporters responded to his appeal by observing three days of mourning for the deceased (until 22 November), during which they halted their vehicles and honked their horns at noon. Similar to Antonio, 20-year-old Alito Momad was reportedly killed by police during the demonstrations.
Africa24hrsnews gathered that some of his friends in a neighborhood outside Maputo, who were holding a night vigil for him on 17 November. With a Mozambican flag spread on the ground beside flickering candles, Alito’s friends shared a photograph of him, which appeared to show a gunshot wound to the back of his head. This served as yet another reminder of how the election had abruptly ended the lives of young individuals, with their friends and family members yearning for justice as Mozambique navigates one of its most tumultuous periods since the establishment of multi-party democracy nearly three decades ago.
