Mozambique: At least three killed and 66 injured in Maputo on Thursday – Maputo Central Hospital

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Mozambique: At least three killed and 66 injured in Maputo on Thursday – Maputo Central Hospital

4:26 CAT | 08 Nov 2024

Screen grab: Miramar

At least three people were killed and 66 people were injured during clashes between protesters and the police on Thursday (07-11), the eighth day of the strikes called by Venâncio Mondlane, the Maputo Central Hospital (HCM), the country’s largest hospital, announced today.

“Yesterday, the 7th [Thursday], at all our entrances we had a cumulative of 138 patients admitted, of which the adult emergency room had 101. Of the 101 patients, 66 were victims of these demonstrations and the rest were due to other causes,” said the director of the Adult Emergency Service at HCM, Dino Lopes, in statements to the media.

Data presented by the official indicate that at least three people lost their lives on Thursday as a result of the demonstrations.

“Of the 66 injured, 57 were possibly injured by firearms, four by falls, three by physical assault and two were injured by sharp weapons,” Lopes added.

He also said that, of the total number of injured, four patients were in serious condition. Two had required surgery, and one was in intensive care.

Dino Lopes said that, among those injured, the largest group, with 34, were between 25 and 35 years old, followed by 17 between 15 and 25. HCM said it had not seen any children injured as a result of the demonstrations.

To meet demand yesterday, Lopes added, the HCM had relied on assistance by medical students from Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) and of the Higher Institute of Science and Technology of Mozambique (ISCTEM), in addition to doctors from other health units and non-governmental organizations who volunteered to assist patients.

Civil society talks about 5 dead. I endorse this number based on what was coming through yesterday ✅ one of the cases comes from Inhambane, Inharrime 📍#FreeMozambique

— Cídia Chissungo (@Cidiachissungo) November 8, 2024

The popular protests called for by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane were sparked by the National Electoral Commission’s (CNE) announcement on October 24 of the results of the October 9 elections, in which it attributed victory in the presidential election to Daniel Chapo, supported by the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo, the party in power since 1975), with 70.67% of the votes.

According to the CNE, Mondlane came in second place, with 20.32% of the votes, but he has stated that he does not recognize the results, which still have to be validated and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council.

After street protests that paralyzed the country, Mondlane again called on the population to stage a general strike lasting seven days, starting on October 31, with nationwide protests and a demonstration concentrated in Maputo called for Thursday, 7 November.

Mondlane pledged on Thursday (07-11) that the protests would continue until electoral credibility was restored.