December’s reports

Monday 30th December

The weekend has been calmer and since the last update, there have been several announcements from Venâncio relating to future protests leading up to the presidential inauguration on the 15th of January. The relative calm has allowed for fuel and food deliveries.

Venâncio has said several things recently, the key ones are below

• There will be a new election on the 6th and 7th of Jan. This will be locally organised. “The objective is to elect provincial governors, district administrators, local chiefs, neighbourhood secretaries and block chiefs”. He states that the winners of these elections will be put in post on the 15th of January. Some people believe that on the 15th of January, he may create a parallel government to the Frelimo government.
• He has called for peace and coming together over the 31st of December and 1st of January
• The “Spearhead” phase of protests will start. The details of this will be announced later. It sounds like this phase is planned to continue through to the inauguration on the 15th.

So what next?

It sounds like if you need to move around Mozambique the next two days will be the best time to do it. After this, it is highly likely roads and borders will be blocked again. The period around the 15th of January is highly likely to be volatile and violent.

Club of Mozambique are reporting that Mozambique has enough fuel. But having enough fuel is not the same as having the ability to deliver it.

Saturday 28th December

This is a very difficult and unpredictable period. Protests have calmed a little since the outrage shown when the election results were announced. Protestors are not following Venancio Mondlane’s directions in the same way they have before.

There are many issues right across the country. These include

Accessing Food

Due to delivery issues, availability of staff, security and border problems accessing supermarkets has become a challenge. Within Maputo and Matola that information is being shared by Telegram groups. Visitors to supermarkets have found long queues and limited supplies.

Accessing fuel

Fuel supplies have the same issue as food. Limited fuel stations are open with limited supplies of fuel. As with food expect long queues and limits on how much fuel you can purchase. As with food WhatsApp and Telegram channels are sharing information about which fuel stations are open.

Security

Many police appear to have abandoned their posts. Property is being broken into and vandalised. Commercial premises are being broken into. In some cases goods are stolen in others they are set on fire. There appears to be very little law enforcement. There are unconfirmed videos of state security services assisting protestors break into buildings. There are unconfirmed reports and videos on social media showing that some protestors are now armed.

Road Travel

The number of roadblocks is extensive and fluid. This is both within and between cities. Routes to the airport and the borders are generally blocked. There have been unconfirmed reports of some people travelling from Maputo and Matola to Kosi Bay. They did encounter roadblocks but managed to travel through them.

Air travel

Flights are now being altered or cancelled. Airlink has adjusted its schedule, A Turkish flight has been cancelled and TAP has adjusted its flight times so the crew do not have to stay in Maputo. Road access to Maputo airport is a big issue for those flying. It has been reported that Maputo airport has been very busy with people leaving the country.

Healthcare

Hospitals are suffering the same staff and supply issues as shops and fuel stations. However, they also have a lot of patients due to the violence. There are reports that some hospitals are struggling to cope. Hospital Central in Maputo is very low on blood and has asked for blood donations.

What next Short term?

As protestors are following Venancio less than they previously had predictions are hard. Mondlane has asked for the weekend to be a period of calm and there have been some signs that it has been a little calmer. He has said everyone should stay at home on Monday ready for an announcement.

What next in the medium term?

The 15th of January is the date of the inauguration of the new president. This day and the period after it are expected to be very chaotic. The reaction to the election results was swift and violent and the reaction to this is expected to be at least as strong.

Where are you?

It would be useful to know if you are in Mozambique. It would help me to know how many readers are still in Mozambique and how many are now, or always were, outside the country.

23rd December

The Constitutional Council announced the results of the election today. The results were the ones expected and the ones likely to cause outrage in the country. The Council delivered Frelimo a resounding victory handing them the presidency and control in every province. They made a tiny concession and gave a few extra parliamentary seats to some of the opposition.

The response to the results was instant and violent across the country. The N1 is blocked at Boboloe with burning buses blocking the road. Most major streets within Maputo were blocked. The route to the airport was blocked. Boanne is blocked. The majority of toll booths are being attacked with videos showing serious vandalising and burning of the Maputo-Matola toll and the Zimpeto toll.

There are videos and reports of looting of shops and burning of buildings across many cities in Maputo. Venancio Mondlane has not spoken but there are repeated calls on social media for the public to start the v8 phase of the protests.

There has not been an announcement from Mondlane but, there have been many calls on social media to start v8 (the next phase of the protests). Mondlane himself has not stated what this involves but there are unconfirmed reports on social channels that somewhat match with the violence and destruction seen so far today. They discuss burning anything linked to Frelimo from vehicles, buildings, private homes, infrastructure and factories.
There is a similar instruction to burn all police stations, and equipment and to attack the police. Canal Moz is showing police officers being chased out of a neighbourhood. There are also instructions to attack any vehicle that moves that is not an ambulance.

The exact plan is not known yet but this afternoon has shown the level of feeling across the country and the level of destruction that can be created in a very short space of time.

Staying safe

At this point, the situation is very volatile and uncertain. If you are not in Mozambique I would very strongly recommend that you do not enter Mozambique at this time unless it is essential.
If you are in Mozambique do not travel unless it is absolutely essential. Any journey is likely to be dangerous. Protestors could stone your car if you travel near a roadblock.
Ensure you stay up to date with the news as to what is happening through the news and social media channels. The Zitamar Telegram and WhatsApp channels are giving regular clear updates.

What next

That is very uncertain. A message from Mondlane may help to clarify the situation, but at the moment it is very doubtful. The protests, roadblocks, looting and arson are likely to continue for some time to come.

Friday 20th December

The streets of Maputo and other cities are remaining calm following the announcement from Venancio Mondlane a few days ago. But there is anticipation about what is to come.

Ressano Garcia

There has been a very strong security force presence in Ressano Garcia and the border has remained open for several days. There have been reports of the police escorting vehicles on the route from the border to Maputo but there has not been a firm announcement about this.

Reports on talks

Nyusi stated that he has spoken to Mondalane (according to the Club of Mozambique). Zitamar reports that this is the first time they have spoken. There do not seem to be reports of meaningful dialogue that would lead to the CC announcement (expected on Monday) to include some sort of compromise. They are also stating that Nyusi has said he has no intention of trying to stay in power.

What next

The Constitutional Council (CC), the court that announced the final results of the election is expected to make its final announcement on the 23rd of December. Mondlane has said that if Frelimo is announced as the winner of the election, the protests will move to the next phase (called v8). He has stated that these will be much stronger than the previous (4×4) phase of demonstrations. I would strongly recommend being very cautious about the week following the 23rd of December. Any form of travel will likely be severely disrupted during this time. It is also likely that there will also be strong protests on the streets.
The next important date is the 15th of January. This is the date when the new president will be inaugurated. If this is (as seems likely) Daniel Chapo from Frelimo, it is likely that this will also be a period of strong protest.

Wednesday 16th December

There has been relative calm since the 4×4 (last phase of the protest) ended. That was not total calm and there was some disruption as usual the Ressano Garcia border remains volatile, although it has been open most of the time for the last few days. I’ve split today’s update into Venancio’s announcement and catch-up from the past few days.

Mondalane’s announcement

Four Days of Mourning and Solidarity (Thursday, December 19 to Sunday, December 22)
1. Solidarity: with victims of Cyclone CHIDO and over 130 fatalities from protests
2. Work activities: continue normally
3. Protests: halt street demonstrations, do not block traffic
4. Mourning attire: wear black or white clothing (according to local tradition)
5. National Anthem: Sing national anthem and pray for justice in Mozambique at 13:15
6. Sign of respect: no whistling or vuvuzelas (except Sunday, December 22, from 21:00 to 22:00)

So it looks like, after worries about the next phase of protests all will probably stay quite calm until the 23rd of December. Then, as outlined below there will be a full strike on the 23rd until the election results are announced by the CC (constitutional council). As he states below, what happens next depends on the results announced.

Monday, December 23, 2024
1. National shutdown: all activities halted in Mozambique
2. Await verdict: stay home or near CC to hear the Constitutional Council’s ruling
3. Turbo V8: Council’s decision will determine if protests escalate to the Turbo V8 phase

Mondlane emphasized, “It’s all in the hands of the Constitutional Council.”

Last few days

Canal Moz and elsewhere are reporting that on Saturday there was a funeral in Ressano Garcia of a blogger. The blogger was shot by the police while he live-streamed police activity. The police entered the funeral and fired on the mourners. It is reported that at least one person died and several were injured.
Unlike on previous occasions, the border was quickly opened again after this disruption. However, that does not mean the government forces will manage to keep this border open during the next phase of protests.

The Netherlands have changed their travel advice for Mozambique. They have recommended that you travel only when necessary and not visit on holiday.

Friday 13th December 2024

We have some positive news, which is always nice to hear. Zitamar is reporting that Nyusi has said he would be willing to enter into meaningful talks with Mondlane and there had already been some contact between the two sides. Zitamar news is also saying that they believe that Daniel Chapo (the Frelimo candidate for president, who won according to the official election results released so far) is willing to enter into a government of national unity, as is Venâncio Mondlane. 

Last night police in Ressano Garcia used force to try and clear the border area. TV sucesso are reporting deaths and injuries as part of these operations.

There have been several unconfirmed reports today of some traffic passing Ressano Garcia, but mainly small vehicles and some trucks (but only a small number containing food). There is a news report here about the conditions for truck drivers on the South African side of the border.

We now wait until Monday for the announcement of what the v8 (next stage of the protests) will be. It is presumed that the protests will then start on Tuesday, but they may start on Monday. Mondlane has said they will be stronger than the 4×4 (the last phase of protests). We have yet to see what he announced and then what plays out on the streets.

The Zitamar news agency has kindly provided us with images to use in this newsletter.  Zitamar produces a daily briefing of all the biggest news in Mozambique, Monday to Friday, with breaking news on their website  and you can get running updates on their Telegram and WhatsApp channels.

Wednesday 11th December

Overall Tuesday and Wednesday seemed calmer than Monday with fewer roadblocks reported, although there was very little movement of cars between 8h and 16h. Unlike previous protest periods where they ended with a bang, this seems to have slowed down towards the end.

Venâncio Mondlane made a statement about what happens next last night and contrary to predictions (including mine) there will be a pause before the next phase of the protests. An unofficial translation of the statement is below

• Tomorrow the 4*4 ends (So the current wave of protests and roadblocks should end tonight)
• Free tolls until January
• Mukheristas must have free access at the Borders (these are informal importers of  fruit and vegetables)
• On Monday he will announce the measures for the next stage
• All mining operations should stop until January 15th
• Ministry vehicles must transport the population free of charge during the return journey at the end of the day
• All taxes and fees must be suspended until January 15th
• Venancio Mondlane will be made president on January the 15th

Many of these claims seem a little strange and unenforceable. January 15th is a key date here as it is the date on which the new president will be inaugurated.

If the protestors follow Venancio’s instructions (and it is not guaranteed that they all will) there should be a period of relative calm. It is hoped that over this period goods and people will manage to flow over the Ressano Garcia border. AIM are reporting that the border opened between 16h yesterday and 8h today.

The new protests will then start either on Monday or Tuesday. It is not known what form these protests will take or on which day they will start. The previous protest was successful (in terms of disruption) so it is likely that it will be something similar, possibly targeting even more areas and extending the hours of the blockades. Please note this is a prediction on my part, and at the moment predictions are very hard to make.

The Constitutional Council are the body that decided the election results and their announcement is expected to be on the 23rd or 24th of December so these protests will lead up to this announcement.  It is expected that the announcement of the results on this day will pour fuel on the fire of the protests. The new Presidential inauguration on the 15th of January is also very likely to be a very challenging day.

Visiting Mozambique

I know some people reading this are in South Africa and want to see if travel to Mozambique is possible and safe. There is a specific article about this that has been very recently updated here.

I would not recommend using the brief lull over the next few days as a way to get into Mozambique. The situation will likely get worse on Monday or Tuesday as the new phase of protest (V8) gets underway.

Monday 9th December 2024

Today was a challenging day. Roadblocks were reported starting in some places as early as 6 am. Many borders and roads are now blocked 24 hours a day and many more are blocked for the majority of daylight hours.

Borders

All of the borders near Maputo and Matola appear to be now closed or inaccessible.
After weeks of being shut and open on an hourly basis, the South African Government has decided to close the Ressano Garcia border.
The borders to eSawtini have been made unusable by the road between Matola and the border being blocked at Boanne. There are unconfirmed reports that this roadblock has now been in place for several days.
That means that if these unconfirmed reports are correct that main supply routes for food, fuel and other essential supplies into Maputo, Matola and the surrounding areas are blocked.

Roadblocks

Many roadblocks were reported to start early, some by 6 am. The Maputo/Matola toll road is specifically mentioned and there seem to have been running battles between police and protestors here and in many other locations.
The route to the airport has been reported from, multiple sources as beingblocked all day and there are no reports either way as to whether this route has become accessible again this evening.
The number of roadblocks seems to be growing both within cities and on main roads between cities.

Electricity

The Gigawatt power plant in Ressano Garcia is running again after negotiations with locals. This means that southern Mozambique is no longer short of electricity.

Bigger picture

There have been several interesting articles published recently talking about the bigger picture of these protests. A couple of them have been translated into English here.
Club of Mozambique are reporting that Mondalane refuses to accept a re-run of the election, which other candidates (other than Frelimo’s) are in favour of. He claims evidence from this election shows that he and Podemos (the political party he ran as presidential candidate for) have won the election so a re-run of the election is not acceptable.

Finally

It seems at the moment the situation is getting worse day by day. This stage of the protest (the 4×4) will officially finish at midnight on Wednesday, but many observers believe that the next phase of the protest will start on Thursday so there will be no break in the protests, as there have been at other times. Given the momentum that is building during this protest, it seems unlikely that the protestors will want to lose that.

Sunday 8th December 2024

As I have not sent an update for a few days I have split this update into several sections. First, a catch-up from the news during the week, a section about the weekend and finally what’s next.

Catch Up

During the week, protests spread across the country, and most roads came to a standstill between 8 a.m. and 16 a.m. Access to the country was restricted, with both the airport and Ressano Garcia borders being blocked during these hours.
There are unconfirmed reports of tens of roadblocks on N1 between Maputo and Xai Xai from 8h to 16h. I don’t have information on the state of the N1 beyond that
During the week traffic was at a standstill in most major cities between 8h and 16h

The airport has been blocked between 8h and 16h every day. There have been some military escorts to get people out during these hours. Canal Moz reported on Friday that President Nysui’s convoy was turned back to the airport as the protestors refused to let him pass, even with a military escort.
The Club of Mozambique are also reporting that on Friday the route to the airport did not open at 16h and later in the afternoon the police intervened to clear the route.

During the week the Ressano Garcia border remained closed for 8h to 16h and there are unconfirmed reports that roadblocks in Boanne have meant that travel from the eSwatini borders has also been challenging.

There have been videos (not confirmed by any new agency) showing protestors at the toll booth in Ponta Do Ouro and a small protest on the beach.

Many cities across Mozambique have seen serious protests and battles between the police and protestors.  Canal Moz have reported strong protests in Gaza in Chibuto, Chokwe and Xai-Xai. They have also reported protests in Pemba where a statue of Alberto Chipande (A Frelimo leader and defence minister under Samora Machel) has been taken down and dragged around the streets. The CDD is also reporting a high number of protests right across the country (Please be aware this link shows graphic images, as does their newsletter)
The CDD is also reporting 20 people were killed on the 4th and 5th of December.
Apologies I stated on Thursday that none had been killed. At the time I wrote the newsletter the CDD had not issued their update.

Club of Mozambique are reporting the destruction of several buildings by protestors on Friday.

The weekend

This is the first weekend in a while where the protests have continued. The protests have continued, although it is harder to get confirmed reports of information over the weekend. Over the weekend some blockades have been reported to have become 24 hours. There are rumours on social media that there was another attempt on Venancio Mondlane’s life. There is no way of confirming this. But protestors are using this as a reason for the increase in blockades over the weekend at roads and power infrastructure as explained in more detail below.

Electricity

Club of Mozambique are stating that protestors have forced the Gigawatt power plants in Ressano Garcia to shut down.  and that this has caused power outages. This may lead to the need for load shedding in southern Mozambique.
Ressano Garcia
I have not found any official reporting on this but there are many reliable sources on social media telling the same story. That is the border did not re-open on Saturday afternoon as it has other afternoons. The border has remained fully closed since then. The protesters are saying this will continue through to Wednesday when this stage of the protest ends. There are reports that this morning the protestors were allowing those stuck within the border compound to leave, but not any commercial traffic. I want to again state that none of this is confirmed

Bobole

As with Ressano Garcia, there is credible information from social media, but nothing confirmed, that Bobole has remained blocked since 8 am Friday. This has effectively blocked off the main route through the country. Bobole is just 45km north of Maputo.
Airport

The airport has been chaotic due to the blocking of the access road restrictions. But it seems staff have been getting to the airport early and flights have been running. There are rumours of cancelled flights, but these seem to be rumours. LAM flights are cancelled and re-arranged on a regular basis so these are not a reflection on the state of the airport.

What next:

It seems that unlike other longer periods of protests where momentum has dropped mid-protest, the protests are picking up. This on-the-ground evidence mixed with messages from Mondlane about cancelling Christmas, and the final election results (which are likely to be announced around Christmas eve) point to these protests gaining momentum in the period leading up to Christmas.

Wednesday 4th December 2024

End of day summary

Today was another day with many roads being blocked. Thankfully there are no confirmed reports of any police shootings from today.

Plaza dos combatentes has been a place with a lot of protest activity in Maputo. Canal Moz reports that today Police were evacuated from their Mahindra vehicle, and it was filled with rubbish by protestors.

Canal Moz is also reporting chaos at the airport with the need for a military escort to get in and out. In previous protests police were charging airport users for this service. It is unclear from the report whether access to the airport is possible during the evening and early morning. If you have a flight, I recommend going to the airport as early as possible, certainly before 8am on the day of your flight.

There was a court ruling earlier in the week prohibiting phone operators from banning internet access in the future. So, in theory internet access should not be blocked again. But this does rely on the government following the ruling.

It has been reported late this afternoon that the Kenmare (Titanium mine) site in Nacala was stormed by protestors. The executives had to flee via plane.

There has been no clear reporting on the state of the Maputo-Matola toll road or the Ressano Garcia border. I would strongly advise avoiding both if possible, during these protests, particularly between 8h and 16h.

There are unconfirmed reports that some roads were blocked in Maputo earlier today at 7h30 making it more challenging for many to get to work. There are many videos circulating on social media showing blocked roads in the center of Maputo today.

My next update will be made if there is a change in the situation. I will not post an update over the next few days if the situation remains similar to today and yesterday.

Wednesday 4th December 2024

End of day summary

Today was the first day of the “4×4” 8-day protest. As usual, weak transport links such as the Maputo to Matola toll road were blocked, as were other roads. But there seems to be less reports of disruption than last week. There are reports of a number of fatal police shootings.
The eSwatini government has advised their population to avoid all non-essential travel to Mozambique.

There have been many videos circulating on Facebook of a bus burning in Maputo this morning. Many schools closed and not doing examsm but there are reports of students in several locations breaking into the schools in protest.
There are unconfirmed reprots of the Ressano Garcia border being closed for most of the day.

There are clear reports of the blocking of Maputo, Matola toll road.

There have been contradictory reports about the airport, some stating everything is running as normal others (including a video from a CDD reporter) stating that passengers were unable to leave the airport.

Canal Moz is reporting that in Mauecate district, Nampula, the Frelimo headquarters were vandalized. Inside they found boxes of voter registration cards, which only individuals should have. –

CDD is reporting quite a number of police shootings. Many of them are fatal. 

It is hard to put a clear picture together of the amout of disruption and damage today. It it unclear how much of Maputo and other cities were blocked for vehicles and for how long. It seems to have been easier to travel in the city today than during last weeks protests. There also seems to have been more transport available to workers this week than last.

Tomorrow it would be advisable to avoid trying to travel between 8h and 16h in the centre of cities. The use of the Maputo, Matola toll road and the Ressano Garcia border will almost certainly continue to be challenging and worth avoiding. Travelling with posters in the car such as “4×4” is recomended.

As yet it is unclear whether the evening will bring street protests.

Monday 2nd December 2024

End of day summary

Canal Moz is reporting a teacher strike today. The teachers did demonstrate a couple of weeks ago.

Over the last few days Mondlane has been stating that there will be no Christmas and new year celebrations this year. Be aware that any events relating to Christmas or new year or signs of celebrating Christmas or new year may upset protesters.

The main news today is the announcement of the new protest the 4×4 protest (with reference to the 4th stage of the 4th phase of protests and to the fact that it will be “going everywhere”)
The next phase will last 8 days (although the speech states 7) from Wednesday 4th to Wednesday 11th of December. It will not stop at the weekend.

During this time from 8h to 15h30

• Total standstill: cars, buses and other means of transport must remain parked.
  I would guess this will be similar to last week where in major cities many routes will be blocked, and it will be unsafe to travel during this time in many areas. Last week road blocks continued well into the evening and this may well happen again. Last week there were several types of road block, some checked for posters supporting the protest, some took money, others simply blocked the road.
• Everyone should stick placards on their vehicles or clothing (front or back).
  I recommend having posters in your car clearly visible. This need to be pro Venancio or they could be more pro-justice if you prefer.
• Concentration in neighbourhoods and main avenues leading to neighbourhoods.
• Participation of students and professionals in uniforms representing their professions.
• Activities include singing the national anthem and the African anthem, forming lines or circles holding hands to demonstrate unity.
• Young people with mobile phones and drones should record images of the largest queues or circles.Whether this is meant to be a full strike or simply a protest is unclear. There is a mention of a “total standstill”, but whether this is economic or traffic-wise is not clear. Either way it is unlikely that the transport system will run and so many Mozambicans will find it very challenging to get to work.

In the evening, from 9pm to 10pm:
Replace pans with whistles and vuvuzelas, responding to mums’ complaints about damage to utensils. (Last week these protests were specifically requested to be done from within the home. If these protests take to the streets, they have in the past setup further road blocks, caused disruption and made it dangerous to travel in many areas.)

Additional measures

• Closure of all Frelimo headquarters.
  There have been several Frelimo buildings attacked and burnt during these protests. I would strongly recommend staying as far as possible from any Frelimo related building.
• Blocking of borders and tolls.
  From past experience the Maputo-Matola toll and the Ressano Garcia borders are the most frequent targets. It is possible that these routes become impassible for the duration of the protests.
• Advised the cancellation of flights.
  It is unclear why he is stating this, although in the past the road to the airport has been closed a number of times.
• Suspension of classes.
• Recommendation for promoters to cancel all events until further notice.
• No parties and no New Year’s Eve this year.

Once these protests start it may be challenging travelling at all. It is also far from guaranteed that you will be able to stock up on food, fuel and other essentials. If you have not done so already, I recommend stocking up tomorrow on essentials for the next week. Given last weeks experience it is likely that the safest time to travel (once the protests start) will be before 8am in the morning.