Daily Times

Tension was mounting in Mozambique Monday with judges about to rule on its disputed election, with the opposition leader vowing “chaos” if the ruling party is confirmed as the winner in a standoff that has already claimed at least 130 lives. The southern African country has been rocked by unrest since the election commission said that the October 9 vote was won by the candidate of the Frelimo party, which has held power since independence from Portugal in 1975. The Constitutional Council is expected to announce at 3:00 pm (1300 GMT) that it validates Frelimo’s win, lining up Daniel Chapo to take over from President Filipe Nysui whose second term ends on January 15. Businesses were shut and streets deserted in the capital Maputo early on Monday despite the fact that it is the height of the festive season. The main roads into the city centre were barricaded by police and access to the presidential palace and Constitutional Council office shut, AFP journalists saw. Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane claims the vote was rigged in favour of Frelimo and that a separate count shows he won enough votes to take office, which he intends to do.