Summary:
- In Mozambique, Frelimo secured another five years in power following the controversial October 2024 general elections. The announced results led to deadly violence.
- The country is set to face increasingly repressive rule and socio-political instability.
- The political elite is aware of its lack of legitimacy and refuses to relinquish power – but it also cannot stem the rising tide of popular dissent.
- These events affect the entire Southern African region. Mozambique holds up a mirror to Frelimo’s sister liberation movements, which are also stumbling – and likely watching with trepidation.
- The country is a key logistics network for its landlocked neighbours, providing a gateway to global markets, meaning that its political challenges reverberate across regional economies.
- The response from affected leaders should be decisive. Unfortunately, as their actions to date have signalled, that is unlikely.
