Maputo, 15 Jan (AIM) – The streets of central Maputo on Wednesday morning were agitated since the security forces were trying to block the main avenues that provide access to Independence Square, where Daniel Chapo was taking the oath of office as the fifth president of Mozambique.
The security forces were blocking the streets in order to prevent the passage of protesters who support the presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who has been calling for demonstrations since 21 October in order to demand “electoral justice.”
The demonstrators were following Mondlane’s announcement of another phase of demonstrations in order to protest against the investiture of Chapo. Mondlane insists that the results announced by the National Elections Commission (CNE) and the Constitutional Council (CC), the country’s highest body in electoral matters, are based on fraudulent data.
On the streets of Maputo city and Matola, no buses or minibuses could be seen. The drivers preferred to take their vehicles off the roads for fear that they might be attacked. Furthermore, the government had decreed a public holiday on Wednesday so, apart from essential services, nobody was going to work.
On the streets, the protesters were screaming Venâncio Mondlane’s name but the police used tear gas grenades and live ammunition in order to disperse them. Some of protesters were seriously injured.
In the Xiquelene street market, one of the largest in Maputo, there was nobody but the demonstrators chanting and holding posters of Mondlane.
“They are using violence against us, but we are doing nothing wrong, we are just here to celebrate our leader. While they intend to use force to stay in power, we celebrate our President, the one we voted for and who won the elections. They shot some of our brothers, they are really injured”, one of the protesters told AIM.
A woman, who was also part of the protest, called for justice, claiming that “the police are using violence against unarmed people. There is no need to use guns against simple and defenseless people.”
“Violence brings no respect. We’ll not acknowledge Chapo as President just because they are using violence or force against us. Chapo was declared President by the Constitutional Council, but he didn’t win. Venancio is a fair winner, and no bullet can change that”, she said.
(AIM)
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