In the wake of post-election demonstrations in Mozambique schedules for Thursday to Friday this week, the Malawi Consulate in Tete has urged roads users in the country to take serious precautionary measures.
On Wednesday 23rd October, thousands of people gathered outside Mozambique’s capital for the burial of the slain lawyer of an opposition candidate with Police saying they have launched an investigation into the killing.
Opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane has called for 25 days of protests over the killing of his attorney.
Tensions rose over the weekend after two Mondlane associates were shot dead in Maputo.
According to Aljazeera reports, Mondlane the opposition leader, who ran for presidency in the October 9 election, had called for a general strike to contest early results showing the ruling Frelimo party ahead.
“Venancio”, as he is popularly known, was among those dispersed and he later posted a video on Facebook showing him running away from tear gas, surrounded by supporters.
© 📷 Has called for 25 days of protests over the killing of his attorney: VenancioHe told reporters that police had tried to stop him from attending the demonstration.
“This morning I couldn’t get out of my house. I had people at my doorstep, including the police. It took me an hour to get out,” said the 50-year-old.
The ruling Frelimo party which has been in power for 49 years “vehemently” condemned the “macabre act”.
Lawyer Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe, a candidate from the small Podemos party which backs Mondlane, were in a car when they were surrounded by other vehicles and shot dead on Saturday, witnesses said.
In a related development, Malawi’s Consul General in Tete Happy Saka said the warning of a lockdown arises from what he described as peaceful demos.
The warning is for truck and bus drivers who use Mozambique as their transit point en-route to South Africa and Zimbabwe.
© 📷 Saka: Please make sure that you take serious precautionary measures“Malawi Consulate will like to take this opportunity to urge all Malawians living in Mozambique to remain indoors but would also like to urge them to make sure that their children also remain indoors because we have received communication that starting from tomorrow up to Friday, schools are also going to be closed.
“It means these are some of the precautionary measures that have been put in place to make sure that they are no any other inconveniences.
“We would also like to urge our Malawians using our borders Mwanza, Zobue, Dedza and Calomue that please take some precautionary measures when you’re passing through using Mozambique-Zimbabwe routes.
“This is a very very important message that everyone should have it; anything can actually happen during the demonstrations. Some of you actually will be using personal cars, please make sure that you take serious precautionary measures”
Truck and bus drivers have also been tipped on the need to take precautionary measures and Saka stated that if they feel like they’re not safe, they should park their vehicles close to the nearest police station in Mozambique.
The Consul General pledged to give updates to the traveling public and was upbeat that after the demos normalcy will return.
© 📷 A protester throws a stone during a nationwide strike called by Mozambique presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane in Maputo, Mozambique [Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]On Monday 21st October, riot police in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, fired tear gas to disperse a crowd protesting against alleged electoral fraud days after two opposition allies were shot dead.
Several hundred people, including journalists, scattered as heavily armed police marched down a main street on Monday.
The Reuters news agency reported some police officers firing handguns while dispersing the crowd.
The European Union, African Union, and United Nations have condemned the incident and called on authorities to identify the perpetrators.
In a statement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on “all Mozambicans, including political leaders and their supporters, to remain calm, exercise restraint and reject all forms of violence.”
The head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said he had “deep concern” over “reported cases of post-election violence and in particular the recent killings”.
