Renamo claims headquarters siege by special police in Maputo… Over funeral procession

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Renamo claims headquarters siege by special police in Maputo… Over funeral procession

7:59 CAT | 19 Jan 2016

Lusa (File) / A file picture of the siege on Afonso Dhlakama's house in Beira city, last October 9 2015.

Renamo, Mozambique’s largest opposition party, has accused the Mozambican police of laying siege to its headquarters, mistaking a funeral procession for a political demonstration.

“For some reason, the police thought we were organizing a demonstration and besieged our headquarters,” Renamo (Mozambique National Resistance) spokesman António Muchanga told Lusa, adding that the funeral procession was only originating in the same building as the party headquarters.

Journalists at the site told Lusa that the Renamo headquarters was surrounded from about 6.00 a.m. by various PRM units, some using armoured vehicles, and that they only left the area in the early afternoon.

Quizzed by journalists during the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) weekly briefing in Maputo, police spokesman Orlando Modumana said he had no further information on the operation save to say that all operations carried out by the police were aimed at “ensuring order and the security of citizens”.

According to the Renamo spokesman, however, the order for the police operation came direct from the Presidency and is part of a blatant plan to intimidate and obstruct Renamo members.

“This is a shame,” added Antonio Muchanga, accusing President Nyusi of having himself ordered Commander General of Police Jorge Khalau to proceed with the operation.

Attempts by Lusa to contact the police spokesman were unsuccessful. In December, the police prevented a Renamo march in Maputo, claiming that the event was not authorized.

Source: Lusa