Clergy call on Mnangagwa, Sadc, to crack down on unrest in Mozambique

The Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) has called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa, in his capacity as chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), to use his position to promote dialogue in Mozambique following deadly tensions over disputed elections in October There was unrest in the country.

The unrest broke out after Mozambique’s Constitutional Court confirmed the election results, extending the long term of office of the ruling Frelimo party, which has been in power for decades. The opposition, which has rejected the results, has been vocal in its dissatisfaction, sparking two days of violent protests this week. At least 21 people were confirmed dead and violence spread to gas stations, police stations and banks. According to election monitoring group Plataforma Decide, the death toll since October 21 now stands at 151.

In a statement, the ZCC called on SADC to take an active role in addressing the political crisis in Mozambique and called on Mnangagwa to use his influence to promote dialogue between the government and all political parties in Mozambique.

“We call on the government of Zimbabwe, as chair of SADC, to use its influence to encourage the government of Mozambique and all political parties in Mozambique to come together and put the interests of the southern African region at the forefront,” the ZCC said.

As SADC leader, Mnangagwa issued a statement on Wednesday calling on the international community to respect Mozambique’s sovereignty and the legitimacy of its electoral process. He also called on all parties to respect the Constitutional Court’s decision to ensure peace and stability in the country.

However, the statement was met with criticism. Some analysts argued that it lacked empathy for the victims of the violence and lacked concrete solutions to the unrest. Stephen Chan, a professor at the London School of Oriental and African Studies, criticized Mnangagwa’s statement, suggesting that she focused too much on legal formalities while ignoring violence and people’s democratic expectations.

“Mnangagwa’s statement follows a literal interpretation of the law and legal process,” Chan said. “It ignores violence, almost as if it were a crisis of democratic expectations. In contrast, the South African offer to facilitate dialogue is far more statesmanlike and caring towards the affected people of Mozambique.”

South Africa’s Minister for International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, has reiterated the need for urgent dialogue and expressed concern about the escalating situation and the risk of further violence.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition regional director Blessing Vava also criticized SADC for its inaction on election-related issues in southern Africa and called on the regional organization to facilitate impartial discussions between all parties involved.

“They (SADC) should call all parties involved and listen to the grievances and the impartiality of the judiciary,” Vava said. “Mnangagwa’s statement also showed no path forward in dealing with the violence.”

On the other hand, political analyst Methuseli Moyo defended Mnangagwa’s stance and suggested that Mnangagwa, as SADC leader, must remain neutral until the issue is formally presented to him. He argued that the president’s call to respect the results and maintain peace was appropriate at the moment.

“As SADC leader, he must stay out of the controversies until they are formally communicated to his office by the government or the other party in Mozambique,” ​​Moyo said. “He encouraged the parties to accept the results and maintain peace. That was enough to say at this point. The next level needs to be government initiatives and SADC initiatives behind the scenes to resolve the matter.”

Zanu-PF’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Farai Marapira, expressed the ruling party’s support for democratic processes and stated that the people of Mozambique should accept the election results as the will of the people.

“If someone is actually a true democrat and not a subjective democrat who just believes that democracy is just a victory, then we expect all people to respect the result that Mozambique has achieved and for people to accept this, that is the will of the people,” Marapira said.

While the situation in Mozambique remains tense, the ZCC’s call for dialogue highlights the critical role that SADC can play in promoting peace and stability in the region and calls for a more proactive stance from Zimbabwe’s leadership. The ongoing unrest and international response have highlighted the challenges facing southern Africa in managing political crises and pursuing democratic processes.