Published on 29/11/2024
Residents of Mangungumete locality, Inhassoro district, in the southern Mozambican province of Inhambane, on Thursday invaded and burned down a local police station after a protester was shot during demonstrations called by the independent presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane to protest against the allegedly fraudulent results of the general elections held on 9 October.
Mangungumete is where the South African petrochemical giant Sasol has its facilities for exploitation of natural gas.
The unrest started when a police officer shot a person during demonstrations. An angry crowd raided the local police station in order to “demand justice”, since some officers were refusing to let the demonstrators take the injured person to hospital.
According to a local source interviewed by AIM, during the clashes, the demonstrators seized the firearms belonging to the Police. The firearms were later set on fire so as to avoid improper use of them.
“The population invaded the police station in order to avenge the person who was brutally shot with live ammunition”, the source said.
Another source denied the rumours that went viral on social media claiming that the demonstrators killed a police officer.
“It is not true that a police officer was killed. Instead of being killed, he was targeted by stones thrown by the population. After he was injured, he was taken to the hospital by the same people who attacked him”, he said.
As a result of the unrest, the local police commander and members of the ruling Frelimo party decided to abandon the region for fear of popular anger.
In Zimpeto neighbourhood, in Maputo city, the demonstrations also burned down a police station after another defenceless protester was shot dead.
“The population, being angry with the murder of a demonstrator, also set fire to the police station. It was an act of retaliation. Perhaps the police may learn to respect people’s rights”, said one eyewitness.
