Death by negligence

Good afternoon. A minimum of three people are known to have died in the city of Nampula yesterday after being shot by police during election-related protests (see below). Two of them were killed in a back yard; Zitamar News understands that both regular police and the Rapid Intervention Force (UIR) riot police were involved. According to the NGO the Centre for Public Integrity, they had fled there to escape tear gas. 

This last detail has yet to be confirmed. But in any case, it is very hard to think of a reason the police would need to use lethal force on not a large violent mob, but two people who were cut off from the demonstrations. At best, the officers got out of control; at worst, they murdered the protesters in cold blood.

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The latest from Zitamar News:

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From the Zitamar Live Blog:

Zitamar Mozambique Live Blog

Cargo traffic across the Lebombo-Ressano Garcia border crossing, on Mozambique’s border with South Africa, was starting and stopping today after protesters blocked the N4 highway in Mozambique yesterday afternoon. South Africa’s Border Management Authority said yesterday it had temporarily suspended both passenger and cargo traffic in response to protesters blocking the road to the cities of Maputo and Matola, and to the port of Maputo. Earlier today, South African broadcaster SABC said that the crossing had reopened fully. However, since then, traffic has been halted several times. according to Trans-African Concessions, the company which manages the N4 on both sides of the border. The border crossing was officially closed last Tuesday (7 November) due to violent demonstrations over the October 9 general election results but it was partially reopened on Friday 10 November. Videos shared on social media yesterday show hundreds of people marching down the road to Ressano Garcia

Telegram

Zitamar Mozambique Live Blog

Police in the city of Maputo fired tear gas at a group of moto-taxis, also known as txopelas, in the city centre this morning. The taxi drivers were sounding their horns and parading with posters stuck to their vehicles with messages protesting against fraud in last month’s elections. The incident comes on the second of three days of demonstrations called for by opposition presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who is contesting the election results.

Telegram

Once again, violence is leading to more violence. Today saw the brutal killing of the president of the district elections commission in Inhassunge district, Zambézia province, by angry protesters (see below).

There may be more than one factor behind the escalating violence. The lack of police discipline and training in crowd control and their shortage of non-lethal weapons are certainly factors (although the UIR, who are said to have been involved in the shootings in Nampula yesterday, are better trained and have tear gas).