Mozambique protest leader says he will return from exile

Mozambique opposition leader Venancio Mondlane will return from exile ahead of the new president's inauguration

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MAPUTO:

The Mozambique opposition leader who has led more than two months of deadly protests against disputed election results from outside the country announced Sunday he would return ahead of the inauguration of the new president.

Venancio Mondlane, who left Mozambique after his lawyer was gunned down on October 19, said in a Facebook live address he would arrive at Maputo's Mavalane airport on Thursday.

From self-exile in an unknown location, he called for demonstrations against the results of the October 9 election, which he says were rigged in favour of the ruling Frelimo party in power for 50 years.

The protests so have been met with a tough police crackdown. The violence has left around 300 people dead, according to a tally by a local rights group, with authorities also reporting looting and vandalism.

"If they are killing my brothers, they are murdering my brothers, then I will be there," Mondlane said.

"If it's for me, if it's because of Venancio, then Venancio will be, on Thursday, at 8 am, at Mavalane International Airport," he said.

Final official results of the poll said Mondlane took 24 percent of the presidential vote compared to 65 percent for the Frelimo candidate, Daniel Chapo.

Mondlane, 50, insists the election was stolen from him and that another count said he was the winner. Several international observer missions have also said there were irregularities.

Chapo, 47, is due to be sworn in on January 15, taking over from President Filipe Nyusi at the end of his two-term limit. His Frelimo has ruled the country since independence from Portugal in 1975.

Mondlane, a charismatic speaker who appeals to Mozambique's disenchanted youth, appeared to shrug off criminal and civil charges that the authorities have laid against him, including for damages caused during protests by his supporters.

"You can do whatever you want," he said, apparently addressing the authorities. "If you want to murder, murder. If you want to arrest, arrest too. I will be there."The opposition leader has previously claimed there had been attempts to assassinate him.

While Mondlane has been maintaining rejection of the results and his call for "electoral truth", the leaders of the main political parties have agreed to take their seats in the new parliament, even if they say there were irregularities in the election. AFP