Cyclone and post-election violence displace tens of thousands in Mozambique with millions in need of aid

By Tadios Sokomondo Denya

Cyclone and post-election violence displace tens of thousands in Mozambique with millions in need of aid

Mozambique is reeling from the devastating impact of twin disasters, post-presidential election violence, and Cyclone Chido. The country’s fragile stability has been shaken by post-election-related clashes and Cyclone Chido which brought catastrophic winds and rains, destroying homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The two events have displaced tens of thousands of people in a matter of weeks.

Cyclone Chido’s strong winds and rainfall have destroyed 35,000 homes, affected 90,000 children, and resulted in 94 deaths, 768 injuries and over 622,000 people being impacted. At the same time, approximately 4.8 million people, including 3.4 million children, require humanitarian assistance and are deemed to be facing high levels of food insecurity in Mozambique.

Meanwhile, vital humanitarian efforts are being hindered as the cyclone has destroyed the already poor infrastructure leaving whole communities without access to much-needed assistance.

Compounding the effects of the cyclone is the ongoing violence that is being fueled by historical grievances and unresolved conflicts arising from the civil war. The current situation represents a double blow to many people in the area of Cabo Delgado who continue to grapple with the ravages of a civil war that displaced nearly 1.3 million people.

Shortly after the cyclone hit, the country then faced a fresh wave of violence triggered by a Constitutional Court ruling that validated the outcome of the presidential election. As the opposition claims victory, in contradiction of the official results, violence and looting have continued even in rural areas.

UNHCR reported that this has prompted thousands of refugees to flee Mozambique to escape the looting and attacks on villages and head for the neighboring country, Malawi, which has taken in around 13,000 refugees from Mozambique following the post-election violence while thousands of others have made their way to the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Many, including pregnant women, the elderly, and children, walked long distances and crossed the Shire River to reach safety. However, they face dire conditions in overcrowded shelters with inadequate sanitation, insufficient food and limited access to clean water which increases the risk of disease.

Consequently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised Mozambique’s 2024 economic growth forecast down from 4.5% due to the combined effects of post-election civil unrest and Cyclone Chido.

“Economic growth slowed down from 4.5% in the second quarter to 3.7% in the third quarter, prior to the start of protests”, explained Olamide Harrison, the IMF’s resident representative in Mozambique.