The Rwandan Government spokesperson, Yolande Makolo, said this Sunday that the Rwandan armed forces do not have troops in Maputo, in operations trying to control post-election demonstrations, contradicting several messages that have been circulating for several days.
“There are no Rwandan troops in Maputo. The Rwandan Security Forces are only positioned in the province of Cabo Delgado, in joint operations with Mozambican forces against Islamic extremist fighters who have terrorized residents in the province”, wrote Yolande Makolo, in her account official on social network X, in response to a message from another user.
“That’s a lie”, he also stated, in response to the same message, regarding the rumors circulating in Maputo about the mobilization of Rwandan forces and armored vehicles in the capital, in view of the demonstrations that continue to be held, contesting the electoral results.
A force of more than 2,000 Rwandan soldiers, which began to be reinforced last April, has been fighting terrorist groups that have been operating for seven years in the province of Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique, since 2021, notably protecting the airfield in which French company TotalEnergies has an venture to explore natural gas, following an agreement between the two governments.
Maputo today recorded the first day without riots, after three consecutive days of demonstrations, essentially by supporters of presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, and interventions by police forces, who always resorted to firing tear gas to disperse.
The Mozambican capital thus experienced the first day of some normality since Wednesday, after consecutive days of streets and avenues being closed with garbage containers, burning tires and stone throwing by protesters, stopped by the authorities.
In the suburbs, all markets operate with high demand, even unusual for a Sunday.
Venâncio Mondlane called for a general strike and demonstrations for a week in Mozambique, starting on October 31st, and marches in Maputo on November 7th.
The presidential candidate designated this as the third stage of the challenge to the results of the general elections of October 9th, which follows the protests held on October 21st, 24th and 25th, which provoked clashes with the police, resulting in at least 10 dead, dozens injured and 500 detained, according to the Center for Public Integrity, a Mozambican non-governmental organization that monitors electoral processes.
The National Elections Commission (CNE) announced on October 24th the victory of Daniel Chapo, supported by the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo, party in power since 1975), in the election for President of the Republic on October 9th, with 70, 67% of the votes.
Venâncio Mondlane, supported by the Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos, extra-parliamentary), came in second place, with 20.32%, but stated that he did not recognize these results, which have yet to be validated and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council.
Source: www.jornaldenegocios.pt
