– For the first time, self-exiled presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane has threatened to use paramilitary forces, supposedly to defend the population, which could lead to armed conflict
– Over 130 people killed in just five days of post-election violence in Mozambique
By Sheila Nhancale and Ricardo Dias
Maputo (MOZTIMES)—Life was returning to normal this Saturday in the Greater Maputo region, albeit possibly only for a short while. On Monday, 30 December, the opposition leader, Venâncio Mondlane, is expected to announce a new phase of protests, referred to as the “spearhead,” which he said would be the toughest phase yet.
As usual, Mondlane was broadcasting from an undisclosed location, believed to be somewhere in Europe, and using his Facebook page to reach his followers.
Mondlane urged Mozambicans to use the weekend to bury their dead and visit the sick before the new round of unrest which he has ominously termed “the spearhead”.
According to data from the “Decide” Platform, 134 people died in the past five days alone (Monday to Friday), accounting for more than half of the 261 fatalities recorded in the turmoil, sparked off by protests against the election results. Most of the deaths were caused by police gunfire during clashes with protesters. In total, 228 people were shot in the last five days, bringing the number of those hit by police live ammunition since the start of the protests to 573.
This week, dozens of inmates were also killed by the police during a massive breakout from the Maputo Central Prison, and the adjacent Top Security Prisons.
“On Saturday and Sunday, we have people to bury. We have people in need of medical treatment. Let us bury our brothers, care for the wounded, and return to our homes early,” Mondlane said in a live broadcast on Friday.
Indeed, on Saturday, cemeteries in the capital saw large crowds. Not only were victims of the protests being buried but funerals were also held for loved ones who had passed away during the week. Restrictions on the movement of people and vehicles in major cities had either prevented or significantly limited the number of funeral services that could be held, leading to a build-up of bodies in morgues.
Mondlane instructed his supporters to allow funeral service vehicles and medical personnel to pass through during the protests. However, the paralysis was widespread: morgue workers, civil registry officials (responsible for issuing death certificates), and grave diggers could not commute to and from work, since many of the roads were still blocked.
In addition to burying the dead, residents of Greater Maputo used the suspension of protests to stock up on food, withdraw cash from ATMs, purchase fuel, and secure other essential goods.
Banks, supermarkets, and fuel stations had remained closed during the week of post-election violence, fearing looting. On Saturday, the city was packed with people trying to buy as much as possible to prepare for the next phase of protests. But on Sunday, the crowds at shops and fuel stations had died down, and in parts of the city the situation was almost back to normal.
Threat of Firearms Use
“This time, the people will not be slaughtered like chickens. This time, it will be a phase where the population will defend themselves by any means necessary,” Mondlane declared in his latest broadcast, threatening for the first time to resort to the use of weapons.
“Here in Mozambique, we did not want [to use weapons]. Many paramilitary organisations have approached us, and we have said we do not wish to resort to arms. But if necessary, we will give the green light to these organisations to defend our people,” he said, hinting at a possible escalation into armed conflict.
Until now, the Mozambican Armed Forces (FADM) have maintained neutrality regarding the protests, leaving the police to lead the response. However, the threat of using paramilitary forces could be interpreted as a declaration of war, prompting a more militarised response from the Government.
Mondlane did not specify which paramilitary forces might be deployed to defend the population. However, thousands of former Renamo guerrillas, who were loyal to the late leader Afonso Dhlakama, complain that they have been sidelined under his successor, Ossufo Momade.
Despite the Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) agreement, signed between Momade and President Filipe Nyusi in August 2019, some of these guerrillas have not received their pensions due to bureaucratic issues within Renamo itself, related to the registration of candidates eligible for the payments.
In this context, the risk of former Renamo guerrillas engaging in military confrontations is seen as real. Some of these ex-combatants have staged protests at the party’s headquarters in central Maputo, demanding the removal of Ossufo Momade from the party’s leadership. (SN/RD)
