Demonstrators once again restricted traffic on National Road Number 4, the main road linking the centre of Maputo to South Africa, protesting against the rising cost of living in Mozambique.
“The situation is complicated. The cost of living is high, and we are demonstrating to see if they will lower the prices of things,” Vitorino Mariano, one of the protesters, told Lusa from where the road was blocked, 35 kilometres from the centre of Maputo.
The stretch, which has already been interrupted several times during post-election protests in recent months, was blocked at around 05:00 (03:00 in Lisbon) by two cargo lorries and a few hours later, the Mozambican police went to the scene to clear the road, the main one linking the centre of the Mozambican capital to South Africa.
“People are taking to the streets for food. Things are more expensive,” António André, a street vendor who had to travel several kilometres, explained to Lusa, as passenger transport was also restricted on part of the road.
During the early hours of the day, no shots were fired, at least until the end of the morning. The Rapid Intervention Unit of the Mozambican police tried to unblock the road under the gaze of dozens of people. Still, the lorry drivers weren’t there, forcing other drivers trying to get through to take to the pavements.
“We’re going to continue until things change and the resistance they had until 1975 [the year of independence] we’ll also have,” says Inácio Francisco, another protester.
Since October, Mozambique has experienced a climate of strong social unrest, with demonstrations and stoppages called first by former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane. Mondlane rejects the election results that gave victory to Daniel Chapo, supported by the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo).
Small-scale protests are currently taking place in different parts of the country. In addition to contesting the results, people are complaining about the rising cost of living and other social problems.
Since October, at least 327 people have died, including around two dozen minors, and around 750 have been shot during the protests, according to the electoral platform Decide, a non-governmental organisation that monitors electoral processes.
Lusa
