By Canadian Press

Lawyer for Mozambique’s opposition politician is fatally shot following disputed election

Oct 19, 2024 | 4:17 AM

MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — Gunmen chased down the lawyer for Mozambique’s leading opposition politician and a senior opposition official and fatally shot them in their car in the capital, their party said Saturday.

This comes as the country waits for the results of a tense election that has drawn more allegations of vote rigging and clamping down on dissent against the long-ruling governing party.

Elvino Dias, a lawyer and advisor to opposition presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane, was killed late Friday night by gunmen in two vehicles who riddled his car with bullets on a main avenue in the city of Maputo, the PODEMOS opposition party said.

Paulo Guambe, a senior member and the spokesperson for PODEMOS, also was in the car with Dias and died in the shooting, the party said in a statement.

The killings are “further clear evidence of the lack of justice that we are all subjected to,” PODEMOS said.

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PODEMOS is a relatively new opposition party that challenged the 49-year rule of the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo) party in the Oct. 9 election. Although Mondlane ran for president as an independent, he was supported by PODEMOS. Mondlane, PODEMOS and other opposition parties have accused Frelimo of electoral fraud and rigging the election.

Frelimo candidate Daniel Chapo holds a clear lead in the presidential race, according to preliminary results. The final election results are due to be announced next week. Chapo is expected to be announced as the winner to succeed President Filipe Nyusi, who has served a maximum of two terms.

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AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

The Associated Press