Dozens were injured when Mozambican police forcefully dispersed an opposition demonstration by opposition candidate Venâncio Mondlane, the runner-up in last year’s disputed presidential election, Mondlane’s campaign and a civil society group report.

Witnesses and Mondlane’s aides reported that the police fired live bullets at the opposition leader’s motorcade and the anti-government protesters who had accompanied him on Maputo’s streets on Wednesday.

No remarks have been made by authorities or the police.

The protests were happening when President Daniel Chapo, sworn in January, was to sign a deal after negotiations with other political parties in order to put an end to months of protest against the contested election.
Mondlane, who has been leading the protests, was not included in the negotiations that resulted in the ceremony.

An official statement from Mondlane’s office said the leader of the opposition was walking in front of a procession on Wednesday afternoon when his motorcade came under attack.

“A group of the UIR [a quick response police force] rammed into Venâncio Mondlane’s motorcade and fired a hail of bullets, using live rounds and tear gas,” it went on.

After the incident, Interior Minister Paulo Chachine told reporters that the police had a task to prevent any attempt to disrupt the ceremony of signing the agreement.

He refuted that there was an attempt to assassinate Mondlane.

Sixteen were hurt, according to local civil society group Plataforma Decide. The BBC cannot confirm the number of casualties.

Mondlane’s team indicated that two students from a local school had been shot and killed by the gunfire. It had 16 wounded, including their cameraman, and others were seriously affected by tear gas.

In a statement, it indicated Mondlane’s condition as “unknown, and his whereabouts are causing concern among his entire team.”.

A video upload on social media shows the instance when firing could be heard when the procession was approaching what looks like an armoured vehicle along the roads. People scramble to take cover and the crowd dissipates, while the shooting rages on.

Other photos of people wounded as a result of the incident have also been shared online.

One protester, who was present at the protest, stated police had started shooting, as if they were conducting an “ambush scenario. It was just a march”.

“I saw individuals bleeding from their wounds. My friend was injured in the leg. I saw a child who was shot and passed away in hospital,” AFP quoted 27-year-old protester Silvestre Alexandre as saying.
Mozambique’s ex-colonial master Portugal condemned “the unacceptable attack on Venâncio Mondlane’s convoy” and called for “restraint from violence and respect for fundamental rights.”

Portugal’s foreign affairs ministry has also offered condolence to victims’ families on X.

Since President Chapo took office in January, he has vowed an open political discussion that would engage all elements of the society, with the aim of ending the post-election crisis in the nation.

Others have however accused him of failing to invite Mondlane to the negotiations.

On Wednesday, Mondlane condemned the political agreement, calling it “an agreement of people without the people”. He said protests would continue.

“If they don’t comply with what the people want, they won’t rule Mozambique,” he added.

More than 400 people have been killed in protest-related violence since October, according to civil society groups.