A smell of burning and tear gas as darkness falls over Maputo, Mozambique

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.