Mozambique: Gunmen Kill Opposition Lawyer, Party Official in Amid Election Dispute

Gunmen in Mozambique killed a lawyer for the opposition and another party official just before protests erupted over a contested election result. The Podemos party confirmed on Saturday that their lawyer, Elvino Dias, and party representative, Paulo Guambe, were chased and shot dead late Friday night in Maputo, the capital.

Social media videos revealed a BMW SUV riddled with bullet holes, with two bodies in the front seats—one with blood on his chest, the other slumped over.

These killings have further escalated tensions in Mozambique as the country awaits the official outcome of the October 9 election, which has been marred by accusations of vote-rigging and repression. Podemos, rejecting preliminary results that suggest a victory for the ruling party, Frelimo, has called for a nationwide strike on Monday. Despite Venancio Mondlane running as an independent candidate, he was backed by Podemos. The party called the murders “yet another sign of the injustice we all face.”