Two prominent opposition party members tragically assassinated in Maputo, Mozambique today
Agreement Mkhari 
Dr Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe were assassinated this morning in Maputo in the earlyhoursof today, 19 October 2024. Dias was a prominent lawyer and advisor to Presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane. He has been leading the electorate process from the opposition. Guambe was a leader in the Podemos Party.
Mozambique’s recent elections have been marred by violence, with reports of police shooting at peaceful political rallies and detaining opposition supporters. On 16 October 2024, police fired at supporters of opposition presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane in Nampula city, wounding at least one person. This incident occurred during a public rally welcoming Mondlane to Nampula, an opposition stronghold.
The situation escalated further with the arrest of David Calisto Bandeira, a musician and prominent supporter of the opposition PODEMOS party. Bandeira was charged with inciting violence for his pro-PODEMOS songs.
These events have sparked widespread protests, with supporters of Mondlane and PODEMOS taking to the streets since October 12, when partial election results showed the ruling Frelimo party’s candidate, Daniel Chapo, leading in Nampula province and elsewhere.
