Mozambique opposition leader return afta e run to secure im sef sake of post-election attack

Mozambique opposition leader Venancio Mondlane don return afta e bin run from di kontri bifor di October 2024 election.

Mondlane bin land for di main airport for di capital, Maputo, on Thursday 9 January, for di middle of tension and heavy security. Thousands of pipo gada to welcome am.

E bin tok say im dey return from exile to dey closer to di protest movement wey don see weeks of nationwide demonstrations and lead to di death of many pipo.

Im return dey come ahead of di swearing-in of a new president wey go hold next week.

Daniel Chapo of di ruling Frelimo party go dey sworn in next Wednesday afta court confam im election victory.

But Mondlane, di runner-up, reject di outcome wey spark violent protests wey don lead to di death of many pipo since October.

Mondlane run comot Mozambique di same month, as e say im dey fear for im life, afta dem shoot and kill two of im aides.

Mondlane don maintain say im win di election and don call for more protests until "electoral truth" dey.

Im supporters dey steadily carry out violent protests across di kontri to demand end to di 49-year-rule of di Frelimo party.

E bin tok bifor now say im go install imself as president on 15 January - on di presidential inauguration day – even though di court uphold im rival victory.

Di electoral commission bin declare Chapo winner of di election wit 71% of di vote, compared to Mondlane 20%.

Di final official results from di constitutional court two weeks ago give Chapo 65% and Mondlane 24%.

'I ready to tok on how to solve di election kasala'

Afta e comot di airport building, video show as Mondlane kneel down for ground wit one Bible for im hand, and supporters dey hail am.

E begin pray as e swear to serve di pipo of Mozambique as di president wey di pipo elect and no be di one wey court confam.

For im first comments, Mondlane say im ready to tok about how to resolve di tension on top di disputed poll, wey e claim say dem tiff from am.

"I dey hia in di flesh to say if you wan negotiate... I dey here," e tok.

Mondlane bin dey organise protests through broadcasts on Facebook, but ova di weekend, e bin announce say im go return to di kontri. E say dem "no need to chase me anymore".

For one strong message e say: "If [di authorities] want dem fit kill me, but di fight go continue".

Bifor e land, dem secure di airport wit heavily guarded police officers wey try to prevent Mondlane supporters from reaching di area.

Dem block roads wey lead to di airport wit security forces wey limit pipo from getting to di airport unless dem get ticket for a flight.

Dem fire tear gas on crowds for di area and position snipers on buildings nearby, di Reuters news agency report.

Mondlane tok say im return "na im own decision" and no be from any political agreement.

International election observers bin tok say di vote no pure, as dem point to doctored numbers plus oda irregularities during di counting process.

Security forces don try to end di nationwide protests for one violent crackdown wey don test di kontri stability.

More dan 270 pipo don die, including protesters, children and members of di security forces, according to rights groups.

Di unrest don also affect di economy, as more dan 12,000 pipo don lost dia jobs and ova 500 companies dey vandalised.

Di political unrest also affect neighbouring kontris, as thousands of Mozambicans don run across di border.

Outgoing President Filipe Nyusi in di past bin call for dialogue to resolve di dispute. On 27 December, Chapo call for "non-violence" and "unity".