Protests have broken out once again in Mozambique after the country's highest court confirmed that the ruling party candidate, Daniel Chapo, won October's disputed presidential election.
Deadly protests erupted when the preliminary results were
announced at the time.
Venâncio Mondlane, who came second, has been calling on his
supporters since the election to demonstrate against what he said was a rigged
vote.
On Monday, protesters could be heard chanting his name,
burning tyres, barricading roads and throwing stones at police. The security
forces have responded with tear gas.
Mondlane, himself, is in exile. He fled Mozambique and
accused the police of threatening behaviour after two of his aide BBCs were
shot dead in October.
In a weekend social media message, he said there could be a
"new popular uprising" if the result was not overturned.
While maintaining that the candidate of the governing
party, Frelimo, had won the election, the constitutional court revised his
margin of victory downwards.
Initial results in October said the victor gained a 71%
share of the vote to Mondlane's 20%. The court has now ruled that Chapo won 65%
to his main rival's 24%.
Earlier in the day, the usual hustle and bustle that
characterises the greater Maputo area on workdays and during the festive season
was replaced by silence and empty roads - a scene that had become common in
this region since the popular demonstrations began on 21 October. BBC
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