Mozambican opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, whose return from exile last week sparked confrontations between supporters and police in the capital Maputo, has called for three days of protests this week.
Mondlane insists he was robbed of victory in last October’s elections, which saw the Frelimo party officially awarded a crushing win to extend half a century of rule.
In a Facebook post late Saturday, Mondlane urged a “national strike” as the new parliament prepares to sit from Monday, with Frelimo’s Daniel Chapo due to be invested as president on Wednesday.
Chapo, a 48-year-old former governor with no state experience, will succeed outgoing President Filipe Nyusi.
“These three days are important to decide what future the people want,” Mondlane said in his post.
“We must declare a national strike… paralyse activities during these three days,” he said.
Urging supporters to “demonstrate our refusal” of the official election result, he called for a “peaceful mobilisation,” adding that “if the Assembly takes the oath, it is a betrayal of the will of the people”.
The country’s highest court confirmed the parliamentary seat allocation from the election just before Christmas, with Frelimo obtaining 171 and Podemos, a small party that has become the main opposition grouping, winning 43.
Renamo, a historic opposition party resulting from the civil war, earned 28 seats while the opposition MDM group took eight.
“Let us demonstrate against the inauguration of those who betrayed the will of the people on Monday and against those who stole the will of the people on Wednesday,” Mondlane said.
© Agence France-Presse
