Good afternoon. Maputo residents are finding it difficult to fill up their cars at the moment. There may be a number of reasons why, including a lack of fuel at filling stations (see below), but one reason is that some fuel stations have been closed for months. During the nationwide protests sparked by last year’s contested election results, filling stations were vandalised and set on fire, and some remain shut. The picture is the same for other retail businesses: some vandalised premises have yet to reopen, as their owners do not yet feel comfortable that the demonstrations are over and it is safe to resume trading.
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From the Zitamar Live Blog:
According to the CTA business association, nearly 500 businesses saw their outlets vandalised, had their stock looted, or both. Venâncio Mondlane, the opposition politician who instigated the protests, has called for peace and non-violence, and the attacks have largely, but not completely, abated. Police have been instructed to take more care to protect premises, as they have done with banana plantations in the south.
