Mozambique Elections: Podemos lashes out at ‘free passage’ badges

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Mozambique Elections: Podemos lashes out at ‘free passage’ badges

2:49 CAT | 05 Dec 2024

The Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos) today denounced the improper use of the party’s symbols and the image of its presidential candidate, Venâncio Mondlane, on badges manufactured and sold by unidentified individuals.

“People acting in bad faith have used the image of our candidate Venâncio Mondlane and Podemos party’s symbols to make badges and other items so that the population can supposedly have free passage,” reads a party statement sent to Lusa.

The objects in question are sold by protesters as a free pass, especially for those circulating in the city centre of Maputo, an act denounced by the Podemos party.

“We urge all members and supporters not to condone these acts and to denounce these perpetrators so that they do not associate our noble cause with criminal acts,” the document concludes, calling for only peaceful demonstrations.

After the whistles, badges alluding to presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane became the new business in Maputo yesterday, as the Mozambican capital was once again taken over by barricades and burning tires and vehicles, in the return of the electoral protests.

Activity in the capital since 6:00 a.m. quickly gave way to barricades, with streets and avenues blocked throughout the city in response to Venâncio Mondlane’s call for a new period, now lasting seven days, to contest the results of the general elections of October 9.

On the streets, after the recent sale of whistles as a form of protest, badges supporting Venâncio Mondlane, with his photograph and worn around the neck, are now the new business, whether to support the candidate or as a kind of free transit pass for those moving around the city, even on foot.

Venâncio Mondlane, who does not recognize the announced election results, called for a new phase of protests blocking car traffic from December 4 to 11 in “all neighbourhoods” of Mozambique.

At least 76 people have died and another 240 been injured by gunfire in Mozambique in 41 days of demonstrations, according to the Mozambican non-governmental organization Plataforma Eleitoral Decide.

According to the report, which shows data from October 21 to December 1, there are also records of “more than 1,700 people injured from various causes” and an estimated “more than 3,000 arrests”.

Source: AIM