MAPUTO, Mozambique
The centre of the Mozambican capital was left with a trail of destruction at the end of the day today, with some barricades of protesters, supporters of presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, held back by the police, resisting amid the smell of burning and tear gas.
During a tour of the city of
Maputo at nightfall, Lusa found dozens of burning or ash-covered tyres and
other objects on the streets, although traffic has almost completely returned
to normal on avenues such as Eduardo Mondlane and 24 de Julho, in the heart of
the Mozambican capital, following the intervention of the fire brigade.
By early afternoon, several
groups of protesters had spread throughout the city, responding to the call of
Venâncio Mondlane, who does not recognise the announced results of the general
elections of October 9, and ended up vandalising several public facilities,
from traffic lights to advertising panels, throwing stones and bottles at the
police, who were blocking their advance.
The smell of burning and tear
gas can be felt in several streets of the city, practically deserted at the
beginning of the night, with all types of public and private spaces closed, as
was during the rest of the day.
The trail of destruction also
includes stones of all sizes, garbage containers of all sizes and sticks
scattered throughout several streets, and the insecurity felt in the city means
that traffic rules are practically forgotten by the few drivers who dare to go
out, for fear of being caught between protesters and the police.
At nightfall, the police were
still roaming the streets, firing tear gas to disperse small groups or making
arrests, allegedly related to the looting and vandalism that had occurred
earlier in the morning at two commercial establishments in the centre of
Maputo.
At the entrance to the
Maxaquene neighbourhood, as had been the case since the early hours of the
morning, a group of dozens of protesters remained- They had not been able to
enter the city centre due to the police barrier there, and Vladimir Lenine Avenue,
which crosses that area, remained blocked and occupied by people and burning
tyres.
A constant back and forth of
police and military vehicles, with officers firing tear gas and shots into the
air, continued, especially on Joaquim Chissano and Julius Nyerere Avenues, the
main entrances and exits to the city.
During the afternoon, a group
of protesters who wanted to return home ended up being escorted down the street
by military personnel, without incident, which earned them applause from those
in the area of the Mozambican Women’s Organization square.
Traffic in the entire area
surrounding the Presidency of the Republic remains closed and in the vicinity
of the Ponta Vermelha Palace, the official residence of the head of state, a
strong military presence is visible, but without any known incidents.
In several suburban
neighbourhoods of the city there are still reports of protesters being
demobilized by police action.
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