Escalating post-election violence has forced about 12 600 Mozambicans to flee to Malawi through Nsanje since Monday, it has emerged.
The protests have resumed in full swing after Mozambique’s Constitutional Council on Monday confirmed the victory of ruling Frelimo presidential candidate Daniel Chapo in the October 9 national elections.
The protests led to the death of 21 people, including two police officers within 24 hours between Monday and Tuesday this week in that country.
In an interview on Thursday, Nsanje district commissioner Dominic Mwandira said between Monday and on Thursday, the district received 2 518 Mozambican households seeking asylum following disputes in that country and feared that the number would increase.
He said about 2 343 asylum-seeking households entered the country through traditional authorities (T/ As) Tengani and Mbenje after crossing Shire River while about 175 others entered into the district through T/A Mlolo after crossing Ruo River.
Said Mwandira: “We have alerted various departments including the Department of Refugees, Immigration, Dodma [Department of Disaster Management Affairs] as well as the Ministry of Local Government that we are receiving strangers.
“These people are being kept at Tengani Evacuation Cent re, Nyamithuthu, Chazuka CBCC [community-based childcare centre], Mnembe CBCC at Phokera, Mizola CBCC and Chikonje Primary School.”
He noted that almost all the asylum seekers are from Morumbara districts in Mozambique.
In a separate interview, Commissioner for Refugees General Ignacio Maulana (Retired) said his department has received the reports of the asylum seekers and that they were looking into it.
“We have also warned our stakeholders that this is what is happening and we are already mobilising ourselves. But I think for now, it’s national clusters at the district level which will be able to work on it while we are moving in,” he said.
Chapo is expected to be sworn in as Mozambique president on January 15 2025, succeeding President Filipe Nyusi who completed his two terms. Chapo will become Mozambique’s fifth president since that country’s independence from Portugal in 1975.
Howev e r, Venan c io Mondlane of Podemos Party, who came second with about 24 percent votes against Chapo’s 65 percent, vowed to install himself as Mozambique’s president on the same day Chapo will be sworn in.
Since the announcement of national elections results in October, over 150 people have died in Mozambique following running battles between police and civilians.
