Mozambique: Over 100 shot, 16 dead in post-election violence – doctors

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Mozambique: Over 100 shot, 16 dead in post-election violence – doctors

5:30 CAT | 05 Nov 2024

Photo: Luisa Nhantumbo/Lusa

The president of the Mozambique Medical Association (AMM), Napoleão Viola, said on Tuesday that at least 108 people had been shot and 16 killed in the post-election violence of the last few days, adding that some health services are breaking down because of the “pressure”.

“In some health units, unfortunately, there are some services that are no longer working, especially outpatient services, consultations. Unfortunately, there are even some situations of vaccinations for children, which are very important,” said Viola, during the protest march that hundreds of health professionals, led by doctors, organised today in Maputo.

“Up until the last figures we had, there were around 108 shootings, with 16 fatalities. Unfortunately, this is a situation that is occurring in our health units (…) that’s why we think it would be really worthwhile to hold this march (…) and say, enough violence, enough attacks, that we can all, in peace, dialogue and try to find solutions,” he said.

He emphasised that these were only the figures recorded by the AMM: “We don’t have the capacity to control the whole machine at national level and so there will certainly be many more cases”.

At issue is the violence that followed the announcement of the results of the general elections on 9 October by the National Electoral Commission (CNE), with Daniel Chapo, supported by the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo, the party in power since 1975), winning with 70.67% of the vote.

According to the CNE, Venâncio 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, and has called for various demonstrations, a seven-day general strike, starting on 31 October, and a national march in Maputo on 7 November.

These demonstrations, stopped by the police, have degenerated into clashes, with the use of tear gas and firearms to disperse demonstrators, who in turn cut off streets and avenues, responding with stones and burning tyres.

The situation, combining injuries in clashes with the police and the effects of the strike and blocked roads, which prevent health professionals from travelling to work, is putting “pressure” on hospitals.

“Enough of shootings and enough of violence”

“The teams have been feeling a lot of pressure at the health units, at Maputo Central Hospital, Beira Central Hospital and Nampula Hospital, cases have been coming in in large numbers. Many colleagues have been asked to leave home to go and support the teams that are on duty, it’s enormous pressure,” recognised the AMM president.

“On the other hand, the colleagues who are on duty have had difficulties turning up for work. Those who were supposed to come to relieve teams aren’t coming because of transport problems (…), on their return they can’t get to their homes because there are blocked roads, and there are even, unfortunately, some health vehicles, ambulances, that have been attacked,” said Viola.

“We’ve been able to cope, but obviously, if this situation continues, we probably won’t be able to continue providing services of the quality that we think we should.”

This is why today’s demonstration, the first to take place in Maputo in recent days without incidents with the police, was held as a “clear repudiation” of the “gratuitous violence”.

“Unfortunately we see many of our fellow citizens entering health centres, victims of gunshot wounds, we see many of our citizens losing their lives for this reason, we see many citizens with serious consequences because of this (…). So we want today, here and now, in the name of health, in the name of doctors, in the name of all health professionals, to say enough of shootings and enough of violence,” concluded Viola.

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