Africa-Press – Mozambique. The parliamentary bench of Podemos, leader of the Mozambican opposition, on Thursday criticised the police for failing to clarify the murder of Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe a year ago, calling for “justice” for the “symbols of resistance and moral courage”.
“A whole year, Madam Speaker. The Police of the Republic of Mozambique has not yet deigned to clarify the facts or bring the perpetrators and instigators of this heinous crime to justice,” criticised Forquilha Albino Forquilha, MP for the Optimistic People for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos) party, leader of the Mozambican opposition.
Mozambique experienced about five months of protests and social unrest after the elections, which broke out in Maputo on 21 October 2024, two days after the double murder of lawyer Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe, supporters of former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who at the time was supported by the Podemos party.
In response to the government’s presentation of the Local Economic Development Fund (FDEL) in parliament, the Podemos party recalled the double murder, noting that the two politicians in question represent “symbols of civic resistance and moral courage” and that they believed that “politics is an act of service and not of submission, of dedication and not of fear.”
“Today, on behalf of the people they loved, we demand justice for them and for the other Mozambicans who fell because they believed that a better Mozambique is possible, justice for the families who live between pain and oblivion. Justice because without it, peace is just an illusion written on paper,” said the MP.
In the same statements, the parliamentarian promised to take action to immortalise Paulo Guambe and Elvino Dias, noting that their memory is an inspiration to govern with “loyalty and dignity.”
“A year has passed since the barbaric and cowardly murder of these brave sons of the homeland, militants of the people’s cause who dared to raise their voices in defence of social justice, human dignity and national truth,” recalled Forquilha.
On 23 December, two and a half months after the vote, the Constitutional Council proclaimed Daniel Chapo the winner of the presidential election, with 65.17% of the votes in the general election on 9 October, followed by Venâncio Mondlane with 24%, but he never recognised the results.
The electoral platform Decide, a civil society organisation that monitors electoral processes, reported this month that the social unrest had caused 411 deaths and more than 7,200 arrests.
During the same period – the protests continued until last March – 3,700 people were injured, including more than 900 by firearms, and five people are still missing. There are also reports of 17 executions “with political overtones,” according to the platform’s report.
The Mozambican Federation of Contractors also estimated that more than 300 construction companies closed during the post-election demonstrations, conceding that many have still not been able to reopen.
The Mozambique Workers’ Organisation – Trade Union Centre said on 13th of October that of the more than 12,000 workers who lost their jobs during the riots, about 3,000 remain without compensation.
Daniel Chapo and Venâncio Mondlane met in Maputo for the first time since the elections on 23 March, and on the following day the former presidential candidate called for an end to the violence. There have been no reports of social unrest associated with the electoral dispute since then.
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