Mozambican opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane, who has been calling for protests from exile for weeks, said he would return to the country on Thursday.
Mondlane said he would arrive ahead of the swearing-in of the new president next week.
Daniel Chapo of the ruling Frelimo party is due to be sworn in next Wednesday after a court confirmed his election victory.
But Mondlane, the runner-up, rejected the outcome, sparking violent protests that have left dozens dead since October.
Mondlane left Mozambique the same month, saying he feared for his life after two of his aides were killed.
Speaking live on Facebook on Sunday, he sent a defiant message to the authorities, saying he would “be in Maputo. They don’t need to hunt me anymore”.
He said he would arrive at 08:05 local time (0605 GMT) Thursday at Maputo International Airport, urging people to meet him there.
“If they are killing my brothers… then I will be there. You can do whatever you want. If you want to kill, kill. If you want to arrest, arrest too. I will be there,” he said.
Mondlane claims he won the election and called for new protests until there is “electoral truth”.
His supporters have often staged violent protests across the country demanding an end to the 49-year rule of the Frelimo party.
He said earlier that he would make himself president On January 15 – the day of the presidential inauguration – despite the fact that the court confirmed the victory of his rival.
The Electoral Commission initially declared Chapo the winner of the election with 71% of the vote, compared to Mondlane’s 20%.
The final official results of the constitutional court two weeks ago gave Chapo 65 percent and Mondlane 24 percent.
International election observers previously said the vote was flawed, pointing to falsified numbers and other irregularities during the counting process.
Security forces sought to end protests across the country with a violent crackdown that put the country’s stability to the test.
More than 270 people were killed, including protesters, children and members of the security forces, according to human rights groups.
The unrest also affected the economy, with more than 12,000 people losing their jobs and more than 500 businesses destroyed.
Neighboring countries are also affected by political unrest, with thousands of Mozambicans fleeing across the border.
Outgoing President Filipe Nyusi has in the past called for dialogue to resolve the dispute. On December 27, Chapo called for “non-violence” and “unity”.
