Police detain 70 during riots

Maputo, 28 Oct (AIM) – The Mozambican police (PRM) announced on Friday evening that they had detained 70 people in connection with the riots against the municipal election results in the cities of Maputo, Nampula, Nacala and Quelimane.

According to the spokesperson for the General Command of the police, Orlando Mudumane, the Friday demonstrations were characterized by the erection of barricades, and the burning of tyres on the public highway, the throwing of stones, and the smashing of shop windows.

Such acts, he said, disturbed public order and security and limited the free movement of people and goods.

The worst rioting was in the northern city of Nampula, where 60 of the 70 arrests were made. Four people were arrested in Maputo, four in Nacala and two in Quelimane.

Mudumane said that the paperwork on the arrests has been sent to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which will begin criminal proceedings against the rioters.

Mudumane said those who were morally responsible for the riots were the mayoral candidates of the main opposition party, Renamo. He did not name them but they are Venancio Mondlane in Maputo, Paulo Vahanle in Nampula, Raul Novinte in Nacala, and Manuel de Araujo in Quelimane. It is not clear whether they will now be arrested.

Mudumane said ten people – nine civilians and one police officer – had been injured in the Nampula riots. All received medical assistance and are out of danger.

He claimed that the PRM respects the freedom of assembly and of demonstration, as long as the demonstrators scrupulously observe the legislation covering demonstrations.

Mudumane said the PRM is willing to collaborate with all political parties in order to ensure that their marches or demonstrations are duly escorted by the police.

But he warned that the police will not tolerate violence, vandalism and public disorder. “Whenever necessary, the police will take coercive measures based on the principles of legality and proportionality”, he added.

Mudumane declared that the PRM is committed to guaranteeing public safety and tranquility, and the free circulation of people and goods throughout the country.

The preliminary election results were announced by the National Elections Commission (CNE) on Thursday, despite its admission that they were marred by a large number of irregularities.

Those results claimed that the ruling Frelimo Party had won in all 65 municipalities except the central city of Beira.

But parallel counts by credible observer groups based on the polling station results sheets (“editais”) show that, in reality, Renamo won in several major cities including Maputo, Matola, Nampula and Quelimane.

The CNE took no account of the parallel counts and merely rubber-stamped the “intermediate count” from the district and city elections commissions, which Renamo and the second opposition party, the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM) had already dismissed as fraudulent.

(AIM)

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