– At least 125 people have died in three days of escalating post-election violence
– The Mozambican Bar Association has accused the police of executing recaptured prisoners after a jailbreak
By Ricardo Dias and Stélvio Martins
Maputo (MOZTIMES) – The city of Maputo is partially paralysed this Thursday, the first working day since the Constitutional Council validated the results of the 9 October elections, confirming the victory of the ruling party, Frelimo, and its presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo.
The two days following the announcement of the election results were declared public holidays due to Christmas celebrations. Public services and businesses were expected to resume activities on Thursday. However, the capital, Maputo, and the neighbouring city of Matola, the epicentres of the protests, remain largely deserted.
Government offices are closed. Hospitals are operational but with limited capacity due to challenges and fears faced by health professionals in travelling to and from work.
No protests have been reported on the streets of the capital since early morning, but the atmosphere remains tense. By nightfall, there are fears that road blockades may resume, particularly in the city’s peripheral neighbourhoods, where most of the central city’s workforce resides.
Public transport in Maputo is largely provided by private operators. No public transport services are operating, as transport providers fear that their buses could be set alight by protesters. According to police data, at least 25 vehicles were torched on Monday and Tuesday.
All banks across the country remain closed, and there is a shortage of cash at ATMs. Major banks operating in Mozambique have issued notices to their clients stating that branches will remain closed on Thursday.
ABSA Bank, one of the largest in the country, texted its clients on Thursday morning that its branches would “remain closed until further notice.”
This week, at least two bank branches in Maputo and Matolawere vandalised, with cash stolen from vaults and ATMs.
At least 125 people have died in the protests, according to the Electoral Observation Platform DECIDE. The highest number of fatalities was recorded in Maputo province, with 34 deaths, most of which occurred on Wednesday during a mass prison escape. In Nampula province, 26 fatalities were reported, while Maputo city recorded 18 deaths, the majority resulting from live ammunition fired by the police during clashes with protesters.
The President of Mozambique’s Bar Association, Carlos Martins, criticised both the inaction of the political authorities and the “criminal” response of the police, referring to the execution of prisoners recaptured after escaping from Maputo Central Prison.
“The escape of prisoners from Machava Prison, the recapture of some, and the subsequent execution of some of these recaptured prisoners—unjustifiable given that they were already in the hands and under the control of the authorities—constitutes a deliberately criminal act. This repugnant and unjustified conduct reveals a sick society where leadership has completely lost its authority,” read a Christmas message sent via email on Thursday.
Carlos Martins also condemned “the looting of public and private property under the passive eyes of the defence and security forces” and called for dialogue to resolve the conflict.
Presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who leads the protests against the election results, accused the police of being responsible for the prison escape, claiming the incident was unrelated to the protests. Nonetheless, he reiterated that the demonstrations must continue and intensify.
“Our protests will not stop; they will continue and intensify. We must not step back; we must move forward,” Mondlane said during a live Facebook broadcast from a hidden location.
Mondlane again urged protesters not to destroy businesses or loot shops but to focus their demonstrations on political targets.
“Our focus is the Presidential Palace, the ministries, the Frelimo party headquarters, and the electoral bodies, including the Constitutional Council,” he said, justifying that “these are the entities that have brought misery to the country. That is where we must demonstrate.” (RD/SM)
