Death toll rises as protesters rage against Mozambique election result Police accused of killing at least 11 unarmed bystanders since 24 October, amid claims poll was rigged Samuel Comé in Maputo and Rachel Savage Sat 2 Nov 2024 12.59 GMT Silvio Jeremias was on his way home from his job at a petrol station on the night of 25 October, in Mozambique’s capital Maputo, when he and his friends happened upon a group of protesters demonstrating against that day’s election results. The ruling Frelimo party’s presidential candidate Daniel Chapo secured 70.7% of the vote, according to official results, ensuring the party that has ruled Mozambique since independence in 1975 remained in power, but there were widespread allegations of rigging. At the protest, one of many across the country, the police fired live bullets and Jeremias, who had a two-year-old daughter, was shot dead. “This situation was a total shock for us. He was still very young,” his friend Carmelita Chissico said. Jeremias is one of at least 11 people killed by security forces during protests against the election results across the country on 24 and 25 October, while 50 received serious gunshot wounds, according to Human Rights Watch. Police said they only shot live bullets in the air to disperse crowds. Angela Uaela, a police spokesperson, said that one woman was killed and five people injured by “stray bullets”, when police tried to prevent supporters of opposition party Podemos from snatching a gun from them. Mozambique is one of the world’s poorest countries and its young population – the average age is less than 18 – is turning against Frelimo, which has governed for almost five decades. Follow link for full story...