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Maputo and Matola Return to Normal, but With Signs of Looting and Vandalisation

Maputo and Matola Return to Normal, but With Signs of Looting and Vandalisation

The second round of general demonstrations called by the second most voted candidate in the last presidential elections in Mozambique, Venâncio Mondlane, ended with a mark of looting and vandalisation of public and private property.

The demonstrations, which were supposed to be peaceful, forced the cities of Maputo and Matola, in the south of the country, to operate at half capacity on the 24th and 25th, with all the negative impact that this had on the economy, particularly on the commercial sector, which was literally at a standstill due to fears, or even looting and vandalisation, characteristics that the alleged demonstrations took on, especially at the end of the 24th.

This Saturday, life returned to normal on the streets of Maputo, the Mozambican capital. Downtown, which is the commercial centre of the capital city and where all kinds of businesses converge, from the formal to the informal, saw the usual movement again, with people and goods moving around normally.

Almost all the shops resumed their activities, the service providers were operational, and the public and private transport system resumed full-time traffic, linking towns, municipalities and neighbourhoods, despite the fact that the damage caused during the days of the demonstrations has yet to be calculated.

In Maputo, the city council is redoubling its efforts to remove barricades on public roads, burnt tyres, rubbish bins moved from their usual places, and destroyed advertising hoardings, especially in the municipal districts of KamPhumo, Ka Mavota, Ka Mubucuane, Ka Maxaquene, and in the neighbourhoods of Maxaquene, Polana caniço, Urbanização, Micadjunine, among others, where there were fierce clashes between the demonstrators and the police authorities.

At the entrance to the city of Matola, on the N4 National Road, in the Maquinag area and at the entrance to the tollbooth, three private vehicles were set on fire, tyres were burnt on the public highway and traffic was disrupted on the night of the 24th to the 25th, the two days of the ‘strike’ called by Venâncio Mondlane.

There was a long confrontation between people and the police at the scene, and the situation was resolved by the end of the day on Friday. However, traces of the vandalisation and destruction are still visible on that stretch of road.

Also in the municipality of Matola, specifically on the ring road, in the neighbourhoods of Intaka, Matibwana and Matola-Gare, several private shops were broken into and looted, most notably a ‘Bottle Store’ located on the ring road, where protesters smashed the glass and took all the drinks. The damage has yet to be calculated.

The spokesman for the General Command of the Mozambican Police, Orlando Mudumane, said that in connection with the acts of vandalisation and looting more than 17 citizens had been arrested and could be held responsible for the illegal acts committed.

For their part, the health authorities reported deaths and several citizens injured during the confrontation with the authorities, in an attempt to restore order and tranquillity.

The mastermind of the riots declared an end to the ‘demonstrations’ via a live stream this Saturday on his official Facebook account, and promised to announce the next phase of his alleged contestation of the unfavourable election results next Monday (28).

AIM

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