Mozambique Elections: Shots fired as police disperse protesters in Maputo neighbourhood

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Mozambique Elections: Shots fired as police disperse protesters in Maputo neighbourhood

5:51 CAT | 09 Dec 2024

Screen grab: CanalMoz

The Mozambican police forces fired several shots again on Monday to disperse demonstrators in the Urbanização neighbourhood, on the outskirts of Maputo city.

The clashes began at around 12 noon and the demonstrators, who had blocked the avenue of the Popular Forces for the Liberation of Mozambique (FPLM) with logs, reacted by throwing stones, accusing the authorities of ‘firing indiscriminately’.

“They wanted to remove our barricade and first tried to negotiate. We said we wouldn’t accept it because demonstrating is our right and explained that we weren’t there to make a fuss. Out of nowhere, they started firing indiscriminately. They even used real bullets,” one of the young protesters told Lusa.

The clashes went on for more than three hours, descending into the interior of the urbanização neighbourhood, along Milagre Mabote Avenue, from where smoke from burning tyres could be seen rising between the houses and several shots could be heard.

On the FPLM, the avenue that leads to Mozambican Heroes’ Square, after dispersing the demonstrators with tear gas, the police, with dogs and at least one armoured vehicle, tried to unblock the road, but the demonstrators again put up obstacles, also burning tyres, a few metres from the 12th precinct police station.

Since 21 October, Mozambique has been experiencing successive stoppages and demonstrations called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who is contesting the results of the general elections on 9 October.

At least 103 people have died in post-election demonstrations in Mozambique since 21 October, according to an update released today by the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Plataforma Eleitoral Decide.

According to the report released by the Mozambican electoral monitoring platform, from 3 to 7 December alone, in the current phase of demonstrations, there have been 27 fatalities, including 10 in Gaza and eight in Nampula, as well as three deaths in Cabo Delgado.

Previously, the NGO had also counted at least 274 people shot during the demonstrations and stoppages contesting the election results since 21 October and 3,450 arrested.

The announcement by the National Electoral Commission (CNE) on 24 October of the results of the 9 October elections, in which it awarded victory to Daniel Chapo, supported by the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo, the party in power since 1975) in the election for Country’s President, with 70.67% of the votes, triggered popular protests, called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane and which have degenerated into violent clashes with the police.

According to the CNE, Mondlane came second with 20.32%, but the latter does not recognise the results, which still have to be validated and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council.

Source: Lusa