2024’s Electoral Crisis

Mozambique’s recent presidential election on October 9th has led to massive waves of political unrest. The ruling party, Frelimo, claimed a decisive victory with 70.7 per cent of the vote, amidst allegations of electoral fraud. Widespread protests erupted in Maputo, where demonstrators and security officers have turned violent. Authorities assert that gunfire was not aimed at civilians, yet protesters report 11 civilian deaths, further angering the populace that is already upset how the government prioritises its own gains over the country’s needs and values.

The main opposition party, Podemos, has also endured targeted violence from the Frelimo Party following the election, including a series of assassinations and attempted assassination which further prove allegations of the party’s corruption. Podemos legally challenged the election results, claiming that they had in fact won 53% of the vote, securing 138 seats in Parliament. However, shortly after the challenge, Podemos’ lead lawyer was shot by an unidentified gunman. Just two days later, Podemos leader Venâncio Mondlane himself narrowly escaped gunfire at  a press conference, which he calls a targeted assassination attempt, ordered by the corrupt Frelimo Party in violent retaliation against his contestations. The current Frelimo leaders have not commented on this violence, but have restricted social media platforms like Whatsapp, FaceBook and Instagram. This crackdown has fueled speculation that the state is more focused on stifling protest organization via social media to maintain its power rather than addressing the grievances of Mozambique’s citizens. This leaves many questioning: why is this violence against citizens unfolding now, and why are civilians caught in its crossfire?

What is the Frelimo Party?

The Frelimo Party was the organization that led Mozambique’s liberation from Portuguese rule. Initially a rebel group, it quickly gained support from the Soviet Union, which viewed it as a potential client state. It later cultivated other foreign relationships as it garnered humanitarian assistance from Nordic countries like Sweden and Denmark as the war between Frelimo and Portugal intensified (Schneidman 1978, 60). Eventually they won the war in 1975 and assumed control of the government (64). 

Once in power, the Frelimo Party swiftly established a dictatorship. In a bid to quell opposition, dissidents were sent to political re-education camps, a practice that became so pervasive it extended even to the mentally ill and some primary school teachers (Igreja 2010, 785). Frelimo has maintained a tight grip on power for 50 years, raising questions about the legitimacy of their rule given the failure of democratic exchange of power. 

Why This Election?

The 2024 Mozambican elections carried particular political weight, marked by allegations of misconduct from the Frelimo Party alongside rising support for opposition parties. Prior to the election, Frelimo leaders were exposed for accepting bribery money in exchange for guaranteeing  secret loans to  government-controlled fishing companies. Daniel Chapo, Frelimo’s newly appointed leader, attempted to distance himself from past leaders who have accepted bribes by drawing attention to unique aspects of his platform; however, voters remain skeptical of the effectiveness of his platform due to the party’s history of corruption which he is likely to follow. 

Meanwhile, Venâncio Mondlane pledged to improve accessibility to jobs and healthcare. His popularity with young voters far surpassed Chapo’s, intensifying frustrations between politically active youth and the state following what many perceive to be a fraudulent election. 

What to Expect

The state violence against protesters on the streets of Maputo has raised questions about whether this election will lead to meaningful change. While public outrage over alleged electoral fraud is apparent, Mozambique’s historical patterns suggest that the political landscape may remain unchanged. The country has a legacy of low civilian participation in politics, undermining the foundation for any revolutionary momentum. 

Structural issues within Mozambique’s voter registration system further compound the problem. Errors such as misdirecting voters to the wrong polling stations and omitting  registered voters on key lists (Ostheimer 2005, 128), have long stifled political engagement. Moreover, contested elections are nothing new. In previous elections, opposition parties like Renamo have routinely contested outcomes that favoured Frelimo (134). Instead of this election being a catalyst for change in Mozambique, it appears to only be part of an ongoing electoral trend. 

Low voter turnouts, a recurring feature of Mozambique’s elections, further highlight the lack of civic engagement necessary for widespread calls for change (128). Despite the ongoing protests seen in Maputo, the movement would need to proliferate beyond the capital to provide sufficient pressure for Frelimo to formally step down. 

Edited by Andrea Pupovac

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and they do not reflect the position of the McGill Journal of Political Science or the Political Science Students’ Association.

Featured image by AmigoDia through Wikimedia Commons

References:

Booty, Natasha, and Jose Tembe. “Mozambique Social Media Restricted as Runner-up in Hiding.” BBC News. November 1, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9dlexzxe9no.

Come, Samuel, and Rachel Sauvage. “Death Toll Rises as Protesters Rage against Mozambique Election Result.” The Guardian, November 2, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/02/death-toll-rises-as-protesters-rage-against-mozambique-election-result.

Igreja, Victor. “FRELIMO’s Political Ruling through Violence and Memory in Postcolonial Mozambique.” Journal of Southern African Studies 36, no. 4 (December 2010): 781–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057070.2010.527636.

Kupemba, Danai Nesta, and Jose Tembe. “Mozambique Presidential Runner-up Escapes Alleged Assassination Attempt.” BBC News. November 4, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxyvvekkkvo.

Lawal, Shola. “Mozambique’s Election: Who’s Contesting and What’s at Stake?” Al Jazeera, October 9, 2024. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/10/9/mozambiques-election-whos-contesting-and-whats-at-stake.

Ostheimer, Andrea E. “Mozambique’s Tainted Parliamentary and Presidential Elections (December 2004).” Africa Spectrum 40, no. 1 (2005): 125–37. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40175058.Schneidman, Witney J. “FRELIMO’S Foreign Policy and the Process of Liberation.” Africa Today 25, no. 1 (1978): 57–67. https://doi.org/https://www.jstor.org/stable/4185752.