But Albina Forquilla, leader of the Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique, which backed Mondlan’s presidential candidacy, accused the police of using excessive force to quell dissent.
“It feels like they are being used to protect the ruling party,” he told the BBC.
Borges Nhamire, an analyst at the South African Institute for Security Studies, said it was the first time Mozambique had witnessed such a high number of casualties and property damage during protests.
He said it was clear that Frelimo had lost popularity, especially among young people who were “looking for a job, looking for vocational training, looking for a plot to build their house, looking for money”.
“They don’t care about who brought independence. The independence they want is their financial independence,” Mr Nhamir said.
After the results were announced on October 24, Chapo was adamant that he and Frelim won in a free and fair contest, saying: “We are an organized party that prepares its victories.”
Since then, he has kept a low profile, waiting for the courts to rule on Mondlane’s bid to overturn the result.
In an apparent attempt to keep up the pressure ahead of the ruling, many of Mondlain’s supporters also heeded his call to mourn the dead for three days (until November 22), stopping their cars and chanting at noon.
Like Antonio, 20-year-old Alita Mamad was allegedly killed by police during the protests.
The BBC came across some of his friends in a neighborhood outside Maputo who held a vigil for him on November 17.
A Mozambican flag spread out on the floor next to lit candles, Alito’s friends showed us a picture of him – with a gunshot wound to the back of his head.
It was another reminder of how the election has cut short the lives of young people, and their friends and relatives hope they will get justice as Mozambique faces one of its most tumultuous periods since multi-party democracy arrived some 30 years ago.
