More than 2,700 opposition supporters allegedly remain behind bars in Mozambique despite a recent presidential pardon, with opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane accusing President Daniel Chapo of reneging on an earlier agreement to release those detained during post‑election unrest.
Mondlane, leader of the National Alliance for a Free and Autonomous Mozambique and a former presidential candidate, said only 22 of the 751 prisoners freed under Chapo’s pardon were linked to the violent protests that erupted after disputed elections in October 2024.
The unrest, which stretched into March 2025, followed results widely condemned by opposition groups as fraudulent and saw thousands arrested in police crackdowns.
Speaking via social media, Mondlane recalled signing an agreement with Chapo in March that recognized the urgent need to free those rounded up during the protests.
He said the deal included a commitment to present an amnesty bill to parliament, but eight months later no such legislation has been tabled.
“The pardon is window‑dressing,” Mondlane charged, accusing Chapo of pursuing “a subversive agenda to keep these people detained illegally.”
He displayed what he claimed were minutes of his March meeting with the president, though Chapo has denied any agreement was reached.
The presidential pardon, which took effect on Monday, covered inmates convicted of various offences including theft, but excluded the majority of those arrested in connection with the post‑election demonstrations.
Mondlane dismissed Chapo’s denial of a deal as dishonest, insisting the government is deliberately prolonging the detention of opposition supporters.
Mozambique’s political climate remains tense as the country grapples with the fallout of the 2024 elections, which deepened mistrust between the ruling party and opposition movements.
JN/APA