Riot police in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, fired tear gas to disperse a crowd protesting against alleged electoral fraud days after two opposition allies were shot dead.
Several hundred people, including journalists, scattered as heavily armed police marched down a main street on Monday. The Reuters news agency reported some police officers firing handguns while dispersing the crowd.
Adriano Nuvunga, director of Mozambique’s Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, said bullets hit two journalists and a security guard but not seriously wounded.
Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, who ran for president in the October 9 election, had called for a general strike to contest early results showing the ruling Frelimo party ahead.
Shops in Maputo were closed, and helicopters were hovering above the city of around one million people.
People hold a poster and their national flag during a nationwide strike called by Mozambique presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane [Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]
“Venancio”, as he is popularly known, was among those dispersed and he later posted a video on Facebook showing him running away from tear gas, surrounded by supporters. He told reporters that police had tried to stop him from attending the demonstration.
