Mozambique: Over 13,000 tourist bookings in south cancelled due to protests

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Mozambique: Over 13,000 tourist bookings in south cancelled due to protests

7:03 CAT | 10 Dec 2024

FILE -For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Direcção Provincial da Cultura e Turismo de Gaza /Facebook]

More than 13,000 tourism bookings have been cancelled in Gaza province, southern Mozambique, due to the violent demonstrations contesting the election results of 9 October, an official source announced on Monday.

“From the work that the sector has done, specifically in the neighbourhood of Chidenguele as well as by telephone on the beaches of Xai-xai and Bilene, we have seen that we have a 50% reduction in our bookings,” said Dorcídio Mavie, a technician from the Directorate of Culture and Tourism in Gaza.

The cancellations are part of a package of 25,708 bookings for the end-of-year festivities, which, according to the technician, could affect the payment of salaries at the tourist resorts.

“The loss is greater because our operators won’t be able to pay their workers, they won’t be able to pay other expenses like water and energy,” he explains.

Presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane denies the victory of Daniel Chapo, supported by the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo, in power), who won the elections on 9 October with 70.67% of the vote, according to the results announced by the National Electoral Commission (CNE).

According to the CNE, Mondlane came second with 20.32%, but the results have yet to be validated and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council.

Since 21 October, Mozambique has experienced successive stoppages and demonstrations, called by Mondlane, in which at least 103 people have died, 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 were 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.

Venâncio Mondlane announced that the protests would continue until the electoral truth was restored.

Source: Lusa