Mozambican police say shots fired around Venâncio Mondlane’s convoy were “merely aimed at dispersing the crowd”

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Mozambican police say shots fired around Venâncio Mondlane’s convoy were “merely aimed at dispersing the crowd”

1:35 CAT | 07 Mar 2025

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Lusa]

Mozambican police said on Thursday that shots fired in the vicinity of Venâncio Mondlane’s
motorcade on Wednesday were intended to disperse the crowd and prevent it from heading to the venue in Maputo where the political agreement signing ceremony was taking place.

“There was no attack against Venâncio Mondlane. At the same time, a state event was taking place at the Joaquim Chissano Conference Centre. (…) We realised that the intention was precisely to drag this crowd to the conference centre. (…) It was necessary to disperse the crowd using conventional means, such as tear gas,” police spokesperson Leonel Muchina told Lusa.

The incident took place at around 1:00 p.m. in the Hulene neighbourhood, along Julius Nyerere Avenue, as Venâncio Mondlane’s motorcade was heading towards Praça dos Combatentes from Praça da Juventude in Magoanine neighbourhood.

“We were surprised when a heavily armed police group started shooting directly at the vehicle carrying Venâncio Mondlane. They used tear gas, some explosives, live bullets, and we had to flee because the situation was not pleasant,” Abdul Nariz, from the former presidential candidate’s communications team, told Lusa on Wednesday.

A member of Mondlane’s entourage was among those injured during the incident, which, according to the authorities, also left at least eight other people injured. “The people were not injured by bullets. They ended up injured because of the panic and the location,” spokesperson Muchina added. “Many people tripped and injured themselves on obstacles. We do not have data on people who were injured by bullets, but if there are any, it will be the subject of an investigation.”

Muchina also said that the group of Mondlane supporters was “blocking traffic” on an important road in Maputo. A non-governmental organization that monitors electoral processes in Mozambique, Plataforma Decide, reported that at least 16 people, including two children, were shot, among the supporters who accompanied Mondlane on the march.

In protest against the shooting at the caravan, people blocked Julius Nyerere, one of the main avenues leading to several neighbourhoods in the suburbs of Maputo – this on a day when the “political commitment” to end the post-election crisis was being signed by the head of state, Daniel Chapo, and the main opposition parties.

Mozambican police positioned themselves on all the main roads and avenues leading to the Joaquim Chissano Conference Centre, where a political agreement between the President of Mozambique and party groups was signed as part of ongoing dialogue.

Mozambique has been experiencing a climate of intense social unrest since last October, with demonstrations and strikes called by Mondlane, who rejects the election results of October 9 and the victory of Daniel Chapo.

Protests, now on a smaller scale, have been taking place in different parts of the country and, in addition to contesting the results, the people complain about the rising cost of living and other social problems.

Since October, at least 353 people have died, including around two dozen minors, according
to the ‘Decide’ platform. The Mozambican government has confirmed at least 80 deaths, in addition to the destruction of 1,677 commercial establishments, 177 schools and 23 health units during the demonstrations.

Source: Lusa