MOZAMBIQUE: POLLS HEIGHTEN ATTACKS AGAINST JOURNALISTS Introduction T HE municipal elections held on 11 October 2023 to elect mayors and municipal councils reinforced the perception that the Constitutional Council was biased in favour of the ruling party Frelimo. (1) The lack of independence of this key institution as well as that of the National Electoral Commission was buttressed with accusations of electoral fraud. The announcement by the Constitutional Council that the ruling party had emerged victorious in 64 out of 65 municipalities participating in the country’s sixth local elections — immediately heightened tensions leading to demonstrations by opposition parties in several municipalities and the outbreak of extreme violence. (2) AUTHOR: Armando Nhantumbo About a dozen citizens were fatally shot and hundreds were injured and detained by police forces. As the Council for Foreign Relations reports: 53 STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 2023