Mozambique: Police in Beira stop scuffles between backers of Frelimo party, MDM – Lusa | Watch

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Police in Beira stop scuffles between backers of Frelimo party, MDM – Lusa | Watch

12:29 CAT | 21 Aug 2023

Screen grab: Social Media

Supporters of Mozambique’s ruling party, Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo) and the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), were involved in scuffles in Beira on Sunday, on the 116th anniversary of the city’s elevation to city status, causing two injuries, including a policeman.

Polícia na Beira pronta pera atacar militantes do MDM. pic.twitter.com/uwZPNl9Qfl

— Marcelo Mosse (@MarceloMosse) August 20, 2023

No specific reasons were given for the attacks between supporters of the two parties (Frelimo is in power in the country, and the MDM leads the municipality of Beira), which took place during the anniversary ceremony and during a period of pre-campaigning for the sixth local elections, scheduled for 11 October.

“We saw bloodshed, violence and beatings. This is not our culture,” said the mayor of Beira, Albano Carige, who intervened to try to calm tempers – apparently in a dispute over the top spots at the event – but to no avail.

The mutual aggressions resulted in two people being slightly injured, including a police officer who was trying to restore order after the clashes.

Officers from the Republic of Mozambique Police (PRM) and the Municipal Police were mobilised, as well as riot squads.

Moçambique em chamas?
Violência política na Beira. Confronto entre militantes do MDM e da Frelimo fazem antever uma campanha eleitoral violenta como nunca visto em contexto eleitoral no país. pic.twitter.com/Yy4sNSbrWu

— Marcelo Mosse (@MarceloMosse) August 20, 2023

The MDM blamed Frelimo for the episode, which ended up completely disrupting the day’s celebrations with sticks, stones and other objects thrown by both groups.

In his speech, the mayor of Beira condemned what had happened and apologised to the various personalities present, such as the governor of Sofala, Lourenço Bulha, and the secretary of state for that province, Stella Zeca, who is also Frelimo’s candidate for Beira.

“The MDM flag is white, the flag of peace. I ended up breaking protocol and asking the Beira PRM district commander to stop directing the buses that were parading towards the residents,” said Albano Carige.

The mayor said that the 116 years since Beira was elevated to the status of a city do not mean old age but rather a hardening of the muscles to continue with resilience.

More than 11,500 candidates from 10 political parties, three coalitions of parties and eight citizens’ groups have been provisionally accepted by the Mozambican National Electoral Commission (CNE) for the municipal elections on 11 October.

More than 8.7 million Mozambican voters are registered to vote in the sixth local elections, below the initial projection of 9.8 million voters, according to CNE data.

Mozambican voters will choose 65 new mayors, including 12 new municipalities, which join 53 existing ones.

In the 2018 local elections, Frelimo won in 44 of the 53 municipalities and the opposition in only nine – the case of Renamo, with eight, and the MDM, the third party, with one.

Source: Lusa / VOA Portugues