More than 1,500 inmates have escaped from a prison in Mozambique, exploiting the political turmoil sparked by disputed election results, according to police.
Police chief Bernardino Rafael reported during a press conference that 33 individuals were killed and 15 injured in clashes with prison guards. He also mentioned that approximately 150 escapees have been recaptured so far.
The unrest began on Monday after Mozambique’s highest court upheld the ruling Frelimo party’s victory in the October presidential elections. Frelimo has governed the country since 1975.
Rafael stated that on Wednesday, anti-government protesters approached the prison in Maputo, the capital. Prisoners took advantage of the chaos, breaking down a wall to make their escape.
Since the contentious elections in October, Mozambique has been experiencing widespread unrest. Official results declared Frelimo’s candidate, Daniel Chapo, as the winner. However, protests reignited after the constitutional court confirmed his victory but revised his margin of success downward. Initially, Chapo was reported to have won 71% of the vote against his main opponent, Venâncio Mondlane, who secured 20%. The court’s latest ruling adjusted those figures to 65% for Chapo and 24% for Mondlane.
On Christmas Eve, Maputo resembled a ghost town, with businesses closed and residents avoiding the streets to escape the violence, as reported by the media. The unrest, the most severe since Frelimo took power in 1975, has led to widespread destruction. Party offices, police stations, banks, and factories across the country have been looted, vandalized, and set ablaze. The interior minister confirmed that at least 21 people have died since the latest protests erupted on Monday.
Mondlane, who has fled the country, has accused Frelimo of rigging the election. In a recent social media post, he urged supporters to continue demonstrating, warning of a “new popular uprising” if the results were not overturned.
Over the past three months of post-election protests, roughly 150 people have lost their lives.
