The government has begun a national survey to assess the damage caused by the wave of post-election protests that have erupted in the country since October 2024. The initiative aims to quantify and qualify the damage to public and private infrastructure, as well as the economic and social impacts of the protests, according to the newspaper Noticias.
According to the national director of State Assets at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Dário Sidónio Passo, the teams responsible for the survey are already on the ground, covering the district and provincial levels. The aim is to systematise the information gathered and consolidate a detailed report that will allow the government to understand the scale of the losses and outline strategies for recovery.
This is a process that starts at local level, where the teams collect data that will later be organised and analysed to get a more accurate picture of the impact of these acts, explained Sidónio Passo, stressing that although there are no concrete figures yet on the extent of the destruction, preliminary information indicates significant damage in several provinces.
The wave of protests, which began in mid-October, originated in the contestation of the results of the general elections of 9 October 2024, whose validation and proclamation by the Constitutional Council was rejected by sections of the opposition. The political crisis evolved into episodes of violence, resulting in damage to public buildings, looting of commercial establishments, destruction of infrastructure and obstruction of roads.
The Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (CTA) estimates that around 500 companies have been affected by the protests, some of which may not be able to resume their activities due to the severity of the damage. According to the same source, the impact on the business sector could compromise the country’s economic recovery, affecting the performance of macroeconomic indicators and the capacity to create jobs.
Preliminary figures also indicate that at least 12,000 jobs have been lost as a result of the destruction of industrial and commercial facilities in various parts of the country. Experts warn that this scenario could have a prolonged effect on the growth of the economy, since strategic sectors such as commerce, industry and services have been severely impacted.
In view of the situation, the government has assured that, once the survey has been finalised, measures will be defined to support the reconstruction of the affected infrastructure and stimulate economic recovery. However, there is still no information on possible compensation or incentives for companies and citizens directly affected by the destruction.
The demonstrations continue to cause concern in the country, with the government and social partners calling for stability and dialogue to avoid new episodes of violence and guarantee the normalisation of economic and social life.
