Five Podemos supporters shot in Micanhelas

Maputo, 27 Oct (AIM) – The Mozambican police shot five members of the Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos) on Saturday in Mecanhelas district, in the northern province of Niassa.

The police opened fire when marches of the ruling Frelimo Party and of Podemos collided. Frelimo was celebrating its victory in the 9 October general elections, while Podemos was protesting against alleged fraud in the elections.

The police public relations department in Niassa claimed “at 10.00 the Podemos supporters demonstrated on the streets, and put burning tyres on the bridge. The police extinguished the fire”.

The demonstrators then headed for the place where Frelimo was holding it rally, and again used burning tyres. “The police intervened, and in that intervention hit five people with stray bullets”, said the police spokesperson, Angelina Cauela.

Cited by the independent television station STV, she claimed that the five victims were immediately taken to a health unit and that their condition is now “stable”.

Asked why live ammunition had been used, Cauela claimed that this was “necessary”, and blamed the violence on the demonstrators.

Frelimo had initially planned “victory marches” all over the country, but thought better of the idea in Maputo, which was still reeling from two days of violent demonstrations. The Maputo march was postponed to an unspecified later date.

In several other cities, the marches went ahead, usually without incident. There was an enthusiastic pro-Frelimo march in Inhambane, where the Frelimo presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, had been a popular provincial governor.

There was also a large Frelimo march in the central city of Quelimane, usually regarded as an opposition stronghold. The city is currently in the hands of the main opposition party, Renamo. But there was no attempt to hinder the Frelimo march.
(AIM)
Pf/ (299)