Two close associates of Mozambique’s leading opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane, who ran for president in October 9 elections, were gunned down in Maputo on Saturday as they prepared to challenge the contested elections.
Lawyer Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe, another candidate from the Podemos party backing Mondlane, were travelling in a car in the centre of the capital when they were surrounded by other vehicles and shot dead, witnesses said.
Podemos head Albino Forquilha confirmed the killings to AFP, while the national lawyers’ association expressed “deep shock” at Dias’s death.
A civil society observer group, Mais Integridade, called the “repugnant” murders an “act of intimidation” undermining democracy.
Police said an investigation had been started but did not immediately confirm the identities of the two slain men.
Images posted to social media showed the bloody bodies of the two victims inside the car, which had been riddled with bullets.
Witnesses said that two attackers had fired around 20 shots after several vehicles surrounded the two victims’ car in the early hours of Saturday.
The European Union issued a statement condemning the killings of Dias and Guambe and calling for a full and transparent investigation “that will bring to justice those responsible for this outrageous crime.
“In a democracy, there is no place for politically motivated killings,” it said.
Disputed election result
Mozambique is awaiting official nationwide results from the elections. They are due to be published on October 24.
Mondlane, who mounted a challenge to the Frelimo party that has ruled Mozambique since its independence 49 years ago, claimed victory almost immediately after polling day.
He has alleged electoral fraud as Frelimo claims to be leading in the ballot counts, and has called for demonstrations on Monday.
Dias made a name for himself last year in the East African country after accusing authorities of fraud in municipal elections won by Frelimo.
Recently on Facebook, he had expressed fears over a plan to assassinate him, Mais Integridade said in a statement.
The ruling party said in a statement that it rejected “vehemently this macabre act” and called on “all authorities to do everything in their powers to shed light on this affair”.
Another opposition party, Renamo, denounced the “irreparable” and “tragic” loss of two citizens who campaigned for the rule of law in Mozambique.
Around a dozen lawyers gathered on Saturday morning near the scene of the crime, applauding their fallen colleague.
On Saturday evening, Mondlane joined around 100 supporters who held a vigil in Maputo.
Mozambique is no stranger to election-related murders.
A journalist was murdered last year and in 2019 an election observer was killed during election periods.
