Hundreds leave Maputo prison amid protests

More than 1,500 inmates have escaped from a prison in Mozambique, taking advantage of political unrest sparked by disputed election results, according to police.

Thirty-three people died and 15 were injured as a result of clashes with the security forces, police chief Bernardino Rafael said at a press conference.

About 150 more fugitives were caught, he added.

The protests erupted on Monday in response to Mozambique’s top court confirming that the ruling Frelim party, which has been in power since 1975, had won a presidential election in October.

Mr Raphael said groups of anti-government protesters approached a prison in the capital Maputo on Wednesday. According to him, the prisoners used the disorder to destroy the wall and escape.

After disputed elections in October, Mozambique has been rocked by riots. Official results showed that the presidential candidate from the ruling Frelim party, Daniel Chapo, won.

New protests erupted on Monday when the constitutional court ruled that Chapo had won the election, revising his margin of victory downwards.

The first results in October said that Daniel Chapa had won 71% of the vote against 20% for his main rival, Venancio Mandlan. The court now ruled that he won 65% compared to Mundlein’s 24%.

A BBC correspondent found Maputo looked like a ghost town on Christmas Eve, with almost all businesses closed and people staying at home to avoid the city’s worst riots since Frelimo first came to power in 1975.

Frelimo offices, police stations, banks and factories were looted, vandalized and set on fire across the country. At least 21 people have died in the unrest since Monday, the interior minister said late Tuesday.

Mundlein, who has since fled Mozambique, called on his supporters to demonstrate against what he called a rigged vote.

In a social media post over the weekend, he said there could be a “new popular uprising” if the result was not overturned.

About 150 people died during the three months of post-election protests.