All quiet in Maputo and Matola, despite calls for protests – AIM

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All quiet in Maputo and Matola, despite calls for protests – AIM

6:35 CAT | 29 Apr 2016

Despite anonymous calls on social media for nationwide protests on Friday against the scandal of undisclosed government-guaranteed debts, there were, as far as AIM can ascertain, no demonstrations at all, anywhere in the country.

As of early Friday afternoon all was calm, and there were no reports of disturbances. There was, however, a strong presence of armed police, including armoured vehicles, on the streets of Maputo.

The police had warned that they would take strong action against any illegal march or demonstration.

Mozambicans do not need government authorization in order to stage a demonstration. But the organizers of any protest must notify the local authorities and the police 72 hours in advance. It seems that Maputo Municipal Council received no such notification.

The calls for demonstrations appeared on mobile phone text messages and on such media as whatsapp. They did not say who was behind the messages.

Opposition political parties have not called for street demonstrations. Both the rebel movement Renamo and the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM) are concentrating on forcing the government to reveal more details about the debts incurred in 2013-14, when Armando Guebuza was President. Both parties want the government to bring explanations to the country’s parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, and Renamo is using the country’s freedom of information legislation to oblige the government to respond.

No civil society organization has called for demonstrations either – through it is likely that the debt issue will be raised on Sunday, at the traditional May Day parade held by the trade unions.

The rumours of demonstrations and the possibility of clashes between rioters and police led many Maputo shops and businesses to close for the morning or for the entire day. In both Maputo and the neighbouring city of Matola many of the private minibuses that provide passenger transport did not venture onto the streets.

Their fears are understandable, since they can still remember the events of 1-2 September 2010. Then protests against price rises led to violence in the streets, in which mobs attacked vehicles and looted shops.

Source: AIM