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The lawyer representing prominent Mozambique opposition figure Venâncio Mondlane was shot dead in Maputo, alongside a party official. Elvino Dias, who had recently defended Mondlane, a Podemos party presidential candidate, was killed along with fellow official Paulo Guambe when gunmen opened fire on their car.
Local rights group, the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD), condemned the attack, describing it as a “cold-blooded murder” involving 10 to 15 bullets. Dias died instantly, while Guambe succumbed to his injuries hours later. Witnesses allege that police blocked Guambe’s evacuation and prevented onlookers from recording the scene, even confiscating phones.
Police, denying any misconduct, promised to investigate. “We condemn this heinous crime and assure the public that all measures are being taken to clarify the case,” said police spokesman Lionel Muchina.
Tributes poured in for Dias, remembered as a “shrewd lawyer” and a “peaceful man” who had successfully led election-related cases in the past. Human Rights Watch’s Zenaido Machado praised his dedication to justice.
The killings are seen by election watchdog Mais Integridade as a warning to those advocating for transparency in Mozambique’s still-ongoing election. Mondlane has disputed early results favoring Frelimo, Mozambique’s ruling party since independence, and called for a nationwide strike.
The European Union condemned the killings as an “outrageous crime,” urging an independent investigation amid concerns over violence and irregularities in the electoral process. Observers, including the US-based International Republican Institute, reported incidents of voter intimidation and vote-buying in Frelimo strongholds, casting doubt on the election’s fairness.
Mozambique is set to elect a new president, with Frelimo’s Daniel Chapo facing off against Mondlane of Podemos, Ossufo Momade of Renamo, and Lutero Simango of the Mozambique Democratic Movement. The vote comes as the country grapples with an Islamist insurgency in the northern Cabo Delgado province, where international forces have been deployed to help.
