Mozambique is at a “crucial moment”, the African nation’s main opposition leader Venancio Mondlane told AFP in an interview ahead of a protest he has called for later on Thursday.

“I feel that there is a revolutionary atmosphere […] that shows that we are on the verge of a unique historical and political transition in the country,” said Mondlane, speaking from an undisclosed location.

The 50-year-old former radio presenter said he could not attend the march due to safety concerns.

The southern African nation has been rocked by violence since an October 9 vote won by the Frelimo party, which has been in power for almost 50 years.

Frelimo’s Daniel Chapo, 47, won the presidential election with 71 per cent of the vote, according to the electoral commission, while Mondlane, who is backed by the small Podemos party, came in second with 20pc.

Mondlane said the results were false and that he won, calling for a mass protest on Thursday.

“Our first objective […] is certainly the restoration of electoral truth,” he told AFP on Zoom late on Wednesday.

“We want the popular will expressed at the polls on October 9 to be restored.”He said he was “waging a struggle” with “national” and “historical purpose”.

“People have realised that it wasn’t possible to bring profound change in Mozambique without taking risks” Mondlane said, and “now they have to free themselves”.

He told AFP he could not disclose his location other than to say he was not in Africa.

The Mozambique Bar Association (OAM) has said there were “conditions for a bloodbath” on Thursday when a heavy security presence was seen deployed across the capital according to AFP reporters.

Protests and crackdowns

Using social media, Mondlane has rallied supporters out onto the streets since the election for demonstrations that have resulted in violent police crackdowns.

At least 18 protesters have been killed by security officers according to Human Rights Watch.

Local NGO the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD) said the death toll was 24.

“They’re not killings. They’re murders. This has always been the way of Frelimo operatives,” Mondlane said.

A police officer was also killed in a protest at the weekend, Defence Minister Cristovao Chume told reporters on Tuesday, warning the army could intervene “to protect the interests of the state”.

“There is an intention to change the democratically established power,” Chume said.

Mondlane rejected the accusation.

“They are saying that we are planning a coup d’etat and not once have we mentioned we would attempt a coup d’etat,” he said.

Mondlane, who has seized the Constitutional Council to request a ballot recount, said on Wednesday that he was “open to a government of national unity”.

The opposition leader left the country last month following the violence.

He initially said would be at Thursday’s march but on Wednesday told AFP he wouldn’t return after all.

“I wanted so much to be in Maputo with my people.

“But unfortunately I received more than 5,000 messages […] Ninety-nine per cent of those messages discouraged me from going to Maputo. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to be there.”