- Fourth opposition leader assassinated since last October’s elections
By Sheila Nhancale
Maputo (MOZTIMES) – Abdul Lawia, the district mobilisation chief of Mozambique’s largest opposition party, PODEMOS, in Montepuez, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, was shot dead on Fridaynight by individuals who, according to witnesses, were wearing uniforms of the pro-government militia, the Força Local.
The victim was outside a friend’s house in the Matuto 4 neighbourhood, in Montepuez town, when armed men arrived and opened fire on him and his companion. Abdul died on the spot, while his friend was seriously injured and is now recovering in the local hospital.
Natacha Feliciano, the friend of the victim who survived the attack, recounted what happened from her hospital bed.
“Suddenly, I saw two men dressed in Força Local uniforms. They approached us and, without saying a word, started shooting. Abdul, who was next to me, died instantly,” Natacha told reporters from the local community radio station.
The Força Local, a militia consisting predominantly of retired military personnel, was established to combat terrorism in Cabo Delgado. The government recognises it and provides it with logistical support.
“The situation in Montepuez is becoming increasingly concerning for opposition members and activists fighting for change. We are constantly threatened for expressing our ideas,” said Milo Samuel, a local activist, in an interview.
In addition to his role as the PODEMOS mobilisation chief, Abdul Lawia was also an active small-scale entrepreneur in the region.
Abdul is the fifth PODEMOS member to be shot since the general elections held on 9 October 2024. Four of the victims have died, while one survived. The first to be fatally shot, on 19 October, were Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe, both advisers to presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane.
So far, the police have yet to identify, let alone arrest, any of the killers. (SN)
