Mozambican Opposition Leader Narrowly Escapes Assassination Attempt
Mozambique’s opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane, who narrowly lost last month’s contested presidential election, claims to have narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in South Africa, where he sought refuge after disputing the results.
In a video posted to Facebook, Mondlane said he is living in fear for his life after assassins invaded his home to kill him.
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Mozambican Opposition Leader Narrowly Escapes Assassination Attempt
Mondlane said he and his family fled through a back exit, cutting through a nearby hair salon while carrying their belongings, accompanied by his wife and young daughter.
Despite the alarming account, Mondlane provided no further evidence to support his claims, and the Mozambican government has not commented on the situation.
Mondlane reportedly went into hiding around two weeks ago, following the killings of his aide and lawyer as they prepared to legally challenge the election outcome. Official results awarded Frelimo candidate Daniel Chapo over 71% of the vote, with Mondlane receiving about 20%.
Mondlane Describes Dramatic Escape
In his video, Mondlane did not disclose the exact location of the incident but revealed he had been staying in Johannesburg’s upscale Sandton neighbourhood.
“I was with my wife and my daughter, running from one place to another,” he said.
South Africa’s foreign ministry stated that they had no official knowledge of Mondlane’s presence in the country and recommended that any such threats be reported to the police. Attempts by the BBC to get a comment from South African law enforcement agencies have not been met with a response.
Before the election results announcement, Mondlane alleged that security forces had surrounded his residence. He has since urged Mozambicans to protest nationwide against the election outcome, which is also being legally contested by the Podemos party that backed his campaign.
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The post Mozambican Opposition Leader Narrowly Escapes Assassination Attempt appeared first on iHarare News.
