Death toll rises to 150 in bloody post-election protests in Mozambique

The death toll in Mozambique’s post-election riots has climbed to about 150.

A civil society organisation, Plataforma Decide, said of the number, at least 121 people died since Monday.

Trouble began after the Constitutional Council confirmed on Monday that Daniel Chapo, candidate of the Mozambique Liberation Front, FRELIMO, which has been in power for 49 years, won the presidency with 65 percent of the votes.

The opposition leader, Venâncio Mondlane, who reportedly received 24 percent of the votes, rejected the result, saying it was manipulated.

DAILY POST recalls that police chief, Bernardino Rafael, said on Wednesday that over 1,500 prisoners took advantage of the political unrest and bolted from a prison.

According to the police chief, 33 inmates were killed and 15 prison injured in clashes with guards.

Mondlane, who has since fled Mozambique, had urged his supporters to demonstrate against what he said was a rigged vote.

Over the weekend in a social media post, he said there could be a new popular uprising if the result was not overturned.

DailyPost