Last month. Mozaqmbique held its presidential election that resulted in the victory of the current ruling party, Ferlimo. With the current election win, the party extends its ruling time of 49 years, which dates back to the country’s independence from Portugal. During the three weeks of the protests that turned violent, more than 30 people lost their lives and hundreds were injured.

Catholic Bishops of South Africa, Botswana, and Eswatini wrote a letter on November 8 addressing the ongoing situation in Mozambique, expressing their solidarity and calling out the government for going on with the elections despite the complaints.

“We join you in calling on the authorities to address the causes of disgruntlement about these elections and to respect the will of the Mozambican people.”

Catholic Bishops in Mozambique released a statement before the protest, calling on

“all those directly involved in the electoral process and in the resultant conflict to acknowledge guilt, offer forgiveness and embrace the courage of truth.”

The Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference also expressed their desire in the letter to visit Mozambique.

“We intend to visit you soon as an expression of our solidarity with the Mozambican people and the Church in Mozambique in these times of trial. Mozambique deserves truth, peace, tranquillity, and tolerance.”

The goal of this solidarity visit would be to give the country a “future of hope” by creating a possibility of collaboration in governance, bearing in mind the national unity, and reforming the election processes by including the “competent and serious” institutions.

Source: Vatican News

Photo: FMT