Mozambique Elections: The first of seven days of strikes and demonstrations in Maputo – AIM report

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Mozambique Elections: The first of seven days of strikes and demonstrations in Maputo – AIM report

7:55 CAT | 31 Oct 2024

Maputo, October 31, 2024. [Photo: CDD Mozambique]

The first day of the seven days of strikes and demonstrations promised by Mozambique’s independent presidential candidate, Venancio Mondlane, got off to a calm start, with the streets of central Maputo largely deserted.

There was a heavy police presence, including armoured vehicles, in the city, but there were no clashes and no violence.

When the independent television station STV visited normally vibrant Maputo markets, it found them quiet. The formal shops were largely shut, but informal vendors were still trying to sell their wares on the pavements.

But they had few clients. This was largely because there were few buses or minibuses running. The owners of the minibuses (known as “chapas”) that provide much of Maputo’s passenger transport had kept their vehicles off the streets, perhaps fearing that demonstrators might attack them.

Once again, education suffered. Private schools were closed, as they were for the three days of demonstrations last week.

In the Zimpeto wholesale market, on the outskirts of the city, traders were looking at enormous losses. With few clients entering the market, huge quantities of fruit and vegetables had rotted – a situation made worse by heavy rains over the past couple of days. The market is not covered, and so the goods have no protection against the weather.

The hospitality industry was also in deep trouble, with guests at the city’s hotels cancelling registrations. A representative of the hotel association told STV that the hotels were currently still able to pay wages to their staff, but even that could not be guaranteed if the stoppages continued for much longer.

Violent clashes between demonstrators and police also damaged Mozambique’s international image, threatening the tourist trade in the approaching festive season.

One bright spot was an unexpected meeting in Maputo on Thursday morning between the General Commander of the Mozambican Police, Bernadino Rafael, and Albino Forquilha, the President of the main opposition party, Podemos.

Podemos had supported Venancio Mondlane in his campaign to win the presidency, but Mondlane is not actually a member of Podemos.

At the meeting Rafael assured Podemos that the police are not opposed to demonstrations, but demonstrations must be organized in collaboration with the police, and without any violence or destruction.

He was concerned that Podemos seemed to be two parties, one led by Mondlane and one by Forquilha. But in an interview with STV, Forquilha said this perception is inaccurate, and the agreement between Mondlane and Podemos is still in force.

But when it comes to strikes, Forquilha was clearly in disagreement with Mondlane. He told Rafael that Podemos believes that Mozambicans should be allowed to go to work without hindrance.

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