AfEONet Statement on the Fatal Shooting of Mozambique Local Election Observation Mission Head

The African Elections Observers Network (AfEONet) which is comprised of citizen observer groups in the East and Horn of Africa (E-HORN), West Africa Election Observation Network (WAEON) and the Electoral Support Network of Southern Africa (ESN-SA) has learnt with sadness the death of the head of Mozambique’s local election observer mission, Anastacio Matavele, who was shot on Monday, 7 October 2019. Matavele was shot in Xai-Xai, the capital of the South Eastern Gaza Province. AfEONet condemns such an act, especially as Sala da Paz, a group that monitors election-related violence, has alleged that the three assailants are known members of the riot police unit.