Mozambique’s Social Media Blackout Deepens
Mozambique restricted social media access for the second time in a week on Thursday, reportedly to curb rising dissent after a controversial election.
The ruling Frelimo party’s recent victory on October 9, extending its 49-year hold on power, has sparked protests and calls for nationwide strikes by opposition parties claiming the vote was rigged.
London-based watchdog NetBlocks confirmed restrictions on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp across Mozambique. The move follows a near-total mobile internet blackout last Friday, a day after the election results and a violent crackdown on protesters.
The electoral commission declared Frelimo’s Daniel Chapo the winner with nearly 71 percent of the vote. Venancio Mondlane of the Podemos party took second place with 20 percent and has since called for a nationwide strike from October 31 to November 7.
Following police crackdowns that left at least 11 people dead and 50 injured, Human Rights Watch condemned the state’s violent response to peaceful protesters.
While police discouraged participation in the strike via text messages to citizens, calling such protests “sabotage,” the capital, Maputo, appeared deserted on Thursday.
The public prosecutor warned that protestors causing harm would face punishment, yet Podemos party president Albino Forquilha insisted on the need to fight for justice while avoiding violence.
Meanwhile, election observers, including the European Union, reported significant irregularities during the election, prompting the Podemos party to request a ballot recount from the Constitutional Court. Mozambique’s Social Media Blackout Deepens
The court has now ordered election officials to provide detailed polling data from six provinces and the capital, Maputo, within eight days.
