At least 33 people were killed and over a dozen injured during a prison riot in Maputo, Mozambique’s capital, as civil unrest stemming from October’s contested election continued on Christmas Day.
Authorities reported that more than 1,500 inmates escaped from a prison on the third day of unrest, which was sparked by the controversial judicial confirmation of the Frelimo party’s victory in the election.
Pascoal Ronda, the interior minister, accused supporters of losing presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane of initiating the violence.
National police chief Bernardino Rafael stated that 1,534 detainees had escaped the prison, located about 15 kilometers from the capital, and that 33 were killed while attempting to flee. Fifteen others were injured in clashes with prison staff.
A search operation involving the military led to the arrest of approximately 150 fugitives. While Rafael attributed the violence to protests outside the prison, justice minister Helena Kida clarified that the unrest began within the prison itself and was unrelated to the protests.
Concerns grew as similar jailbreak attempts were reported at two other prisons, with authorities bracing for a potential rise in crime in the following days. The riots followed deadly clashes on the previous day, when 21 people were killed in violence triggered by the judiciary’s confirmation of Daniel Chapo’s presidential victory. Chapo, who won nearly 65 percent of the vote, faced allegations of election rigging, fueling widespread protests.
Images and videos on social media showed protesters looting shops and setting fires in Maputo and Beira, while some local officials were reported to have fled.
Demonstrators also set up makeshift celebrations in the streets. Mondlane called for a “shutdown” starting Friday, as tensions remained high in the capital.
Mozambique, with a population of 34 million, has been on edge since the October elections, with Mondlane’s supporters—mostly young people—clashing with security forces.
