Third day of demonstrators controlling Maputo roads

Maputo, 29 Nov (AIM) – For the third day running, the main roads of central Maputo and the neighbouring city of Matola were eerily quiet.

Supporters of presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane succeeded in shutting much of the two cities down, in their pursuit of “the truth about the elections”.

What are usually busy streets became improvised canteens and bars – until 15.30, when Mondlane allowed citizens to go about their normal business.

Many shops did not open on Friday, although informal stalls were doing a roaring trade. At the main terminals, buses on inter-provincial routes waited for passengers, usually in vain. The bus drivers told TV reporters that the pro-Mondlane demonstrations had scared the passengers away.

Some of the most serious rioting on Thursday had happened in Inhassoro district, on the main north-south highway (EN1). Although on Friday there were no longer any clashes between police and demonstrators, the remains of the barricades thrown up the previous day could still be clearly seen in the village of Mangungumete. This was where three people had been shot dead, and an angry crowd dragged boulders onto the road to halt all traffic.

Police vehicles, including from the Rapid Intervention Unit (the Riot Police), were reported to be moving constantly along EN1, but there are not enough of them to end the demonstrations, and so traffic along the only road linking the north and south of the country remained halting at best.

The demonstrators also released an unknown number of prisoners from the police cells, looted informal shops, and seized two AK-47 assault rifles. On Friday, the police said they had recovered these guns.

The police largely kept their fingers off their triggers on Friday. There were no attempts to force the demonstrators to reopen the Maputo roads. This meant that the demonstrators, and not the Mozambican state, appeared to be in control of the city,

So far, nobody has calculated the costs of the three day partial shutdown of the capital, but they must be very substantial.

And there could be worse to come. In his Friday live broadcast on his facebook page, Mondlane threatened to cancel Christmas. If “the truth about the elections” had not been revealed by then, the demonstrations would continue, and must be prioritised over such frivolous activities as eating and drinking.

For Mondlane, the truth about the elections is that he won, and he will not accept any other result.
(AIM)
Pf/ (410)