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Mozambique: Police deny bicycle ride incident with Quelimane mayor – DW
5:58 CAT | 05 Nov 2021
Photo: Social Media
- Police in Zambézia have denied that they attempted to prevent a bicycle tour of the city being undertaken by the mayor of Quelimane, Manuel De Araújo, and ambassadors visiting the city.
Quelimane mayor Manuel de Araújo was riding through the city in the company of diplomats from Canada, Sweden and Finland on Wednesday (03-11) afternoon when his tour was interrupted by police, who demanded the presentation of legal authorisation for what they claimed was a demonstration.
The indignant reaction on social media led to the convening this Thursday of two press conferences. The first was by opposition party Renamo, where the district delegate, Latifo Charifo, deplored the attitude of the police and said he did not understand why this type of situation persisted in Quelimane.
“Our question is: what is happening to our police? The Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, Gilberto Mendes, made a tour in Maputo with more than 50 cyclists and the police simply applauded. On the 1st, African Youth Day, there was also an OJM tour in Milange with more than 50 motorbikes. The police watched and applauded. Why does this have to happen here in the city of Quelimane?” he asked.
Public order and tranquillity
The second press conference was called by the provincial command of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) in Zambézia, and heard head of public relations Miguel Caetano deny the accusations brought against the force.
“According to the social networks and the information being broadcast, the police tried to prevent this activity. The police did not prevent the event from taking place. That is why, at around 5:00. p.m., the tour took place, with proper monitoring. As is known, the main objective of the PRM is to maintain order and public tranquillity. For activities that involve crowds of people, communication with the police authorities must take place,” he explained.
“Unfortunate attitude”
Analyst Ricardo Raboco told DW Africa he was unhappy with what transpired. “It’s a regrettable attitude,” he said. “We are talking about the diplomatic corps and the legally elected authority” in a case which was not a political demonstration. “And when you evaluate the question that the policeman asked – who would be responsible if something happened to those foreign citizens – I think that this question is problematic,” he cautioned.
Similar situations – where the police have aborted peaceful demonstrations – have occurred in Quelimane in the last two years.
Also in Quelimane, a group of students has scheduled a march for this Saturday (6-11) to demand the return of money paid to a technical and professional education institution which turned out to have been operating illegally for more than two years. The students said they are apprehensive about the police’s possible reaction to the demonstration.
Read: Mozambique: Police try to ban bike ride in Quelimane – AIM report
Despite some initial confusion at the start, we had a wonderful tour of Quelimane city by bike. Cities should always be toured by bicycle!
🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲
🚴🏻♀️🚴🏻♀️🚴🏻♀️🚴🏻♀️🚴🏻♀️🚴🏻♀️🚴🏻♀️🚴🏻♀️🚴🏻♀️🚴🏻♀️🚴🏻♀️
🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲pic.twitter.com/36X4Hf1IJw— Caroline Delany (@CDinOT) November 4, 2021
Source: Deutsche Welle
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