At least 21 persons have been killed as violence erupted in Mozambique after the country’s apex court affirmed Daniel Chapo of the ruling Frelimo party winner of the disputed October 9 elections.

In a press conference on Tuesday at Maputo, Pascoal Ronda, Mozambique’s Interior Minister, said lingering post-election protests heightened on Monday when the court affirmed Mr Chapo’s victory.

“From the preliminary survey, in the last 24 hours, 236 acts of violence were recorded throughout the national territory that resulted in 21 deaths,” Mr Ronda said.

He added, “Two members of the police of the Republic of Mozambique also died” in the wave of violence while 13 civilians and 12 police were injured.

Mr Ronda attributed the ongoing chaos in Mozambique to supporters of opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane.

According to the country’s electoral commission, Mr Mondlane polled 24 per cent of the vote, coming second to Mr Chapo, who polled 65 per cent of the vote.

Plataforma Eleitoral Decide, a Mozambique civil society group that monitors elections, reported that 110 people had been killed in the post-election protests since October.