An MDM entourage on 10 motorcycles hit a crowd of Renamo supporters attending a rally yesterday morning (30 September), injuring 20 people, our correspondents report. The rally, led by Renamo’s political delegate, was in the 1 de Maio neighbourhood of Mutua, Dondo, Sofala.
Police escorting Renamo detained two MDM supporters involved while others fled. At the time of the incident, the MDM caravan had just left the 25 de Setembro neighbourhood for the 1 Maio neighbourhood.
Also in Dondo, a group of MDM supporters went to Frelimo headquarters and threw stones at party supporters who were gathered there on Saturday morning (28 September). Police were called to restore order, our correspondents report. Two MDM supporters were arrested and released two hours later.
In Dondo, at least six cases of aggression have been reported since the campaign began, and of these, two resulted in the deaths of one Frelimo and one Renamo supporter. In addition, journalists are censored by both police and parties, in order to not report the violence.
Dondo Police Commander Assaulted by MDM Supporters
Dondo District Police Commander Joao Moiane was assaulted by young MDM supporters for allegedly campaigning for Frelimo. The attack took place at the Mafambisse Sugar Pavilion, in the 4th of October neighbourhood, on the morning of the 26 September at a rally by Florindo Nyusi, son of Frelimo presidential candidate Filipe Nyusi.
Our correspondents, who were present at the scene, report that a group of about two dozen young men dressed in MDM T-shirts arrived at the rally and approached the district police commander and began to argue, eventually assaulting and pushing him. The confusion temporarily paralyzed the rally, until the riot police (Rapid Intervention Unit, UIR), rescued the commander and took him away.
Our correspondents say that MDM had requested police protection for their campaign in Dondo but the District Police Command said no, because of insufficient staff. Hours later, MDM supporters learned that the district police commander was campaigning for Frelimo and they went to the pavilion where the rally was taking place, where they found the commander in civilian clothes and Frelimo cap. It was then the fight started and it only ended with the commander’s removal from the scene.
Under Mozambican law, police officers are nonpartisan and cannot campaign for any party. The commander confirmed that he had been at the rally run by Florindo Nyusi, but told the campaign briefing on Saturday (28 September) in Dondo “I was just there to ensure safety during the rally.”
