Mozambique: Curfew withdrawn in Mocímboa da Praia

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Mozambique: Curfew withdrawn in Mocímboa da Praia

5:24 CAT | 05 Feb 2019

Photo courtesy of Fernando Abel Neves / Facebook

Nights are back to normal in the village of Mocimboa da Praia since the local mayor, Fernando Neves, cancelled the mandatory curfew imposed on January 24.

While the chairman of the Mozambican Bar Association, Flavio Menete, took the opportunity of the opening of the judicial year to criticise the curfew, the mayor of Mocimboa da Praia last Friday issued a new communique annulling the night-time ban on circulation in the village.

“The interdiction of the night traffic of pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, heavy and light vehicles, as well as the exercise of any commercial activity, projection of films, discotheques in the perimeter of the municipal town, in the period between 9:00 p.m. and 4:00a.m., is revoked and with no effect” the February 1 communiqué signed by the mayor reads.

Mayor Fernando Neves acknowledged that the imposition of a curfew violated Mozambique’s constitution, which reserves that power for the organs of sovereignty.

The movement ban was decreed following the armed attacks that began on October 5 2017 with an assault on the District Police Command in Mocimboa da Praia. Attacks later spread to other districts in northern Cabo Delgado, especially Palma, Nangade and Macomia.

The Mocimboa da Praia mayor had justified that curfew to STV saying it was proposed by the residents who suspected that insurgents were circulating and gathering supplies in the village at night.

By Emídio Beúla

Source: O País