Mozambique: Many groups independent from Mondlane in protests – government

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Mozambique: Many groups independent from Mondlane in protests – government

6:07 CAT | 08 Feb 2025

File photo: Lusa

The Mozambican government on Friday conceded the existence of “many movements” of protest in the country that are independent of former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, but said that the politician should also be part of the process of pacifying Mozambique.

“The point here is to polarise the debate. It’s true that Venâncio is the person who appears the most, but you have to realise now that there are many movements that I think are already a little independent of their own existence or at least independent of Venâncio Mondlane’s commands,” said Inocêncio Impissa, government spokesman and minister of state administration and civil service, during a press conference in Maputo.

The Mozambican minister called on Venâncio Mondlane, who has been leading demonstrations to contest the general elections since October, to “open up to further dialogue”, also considering him part of the efforts to unify and pacify the country.

“Even he himself wouldn’t want to have a country with a divided population, so I think that the effort to unify, the effort to appease Mozambicans and make the country peaceful again should also be made by him,” said Impissa.

The minister also said that he expected “a lot of responsibility and warmth” from Mondlane, as well as opinions for the development, growth and reconciliation of the Mozambican people, reiterating the executive’s openness to dialogue with the “different forces in society”.

“What is not happening and cannot be demanded is that Venâncio Mondlane be summoned [to dialogue] as if he were a representative of a party, and what we know is that he is not from any party,” added the spokesperson for the Mozambican executive, noting the meetings that the head of state, Daniel Chapo, has had with representatives of political parties.

During the press conference, the government also recognised that so far demonstrations have taken place all over the country, albeit on a “much smaller” scale, and that they have caused incalculable damage, as well as creating an atmosphere of panic, terror and mistrust among the people.

Mozambique has been experiencing a climate of strong social unrest since October, with demonstrations and stoppages called first by former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who rejects the election results of 9 October.

Currently, protests have been taking place in different parts of the country and, as well as contesting the results, people are complaining about the rising cost of living and other social problems.

Since October, at least 327 people have died, including around two dozen minors, and around 750 have been shot during the protests, according to the electoral platform Decide, a non-governmental organisation that monitors electoral processes.

Source: Lusa