(…) “We were on the ground, duly identified, to report the facts that were happening on that morning of 21 October. The demonstrators were peacefully singing and holding placards at the place where Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe were murdered when, suddenly, we heard the commander of the Rapid Intervention Unit give orders to open fire against people” (Protected Source).
“I was near him and I heard it all. He (the commander) was the first to shoot, and the police followed. In the crowd there were also journalists but that did not worry the police commander. Suffocated by the police gas, we left at a run, in search of a better place to continue our work” (Protected Source).
“When it was about 10.00 the PODEMOS presidential candidate, Venâncio Mondlane arrived, and the journalists went to meet him. During the interview we heard explosions. It was tear gas grenades launched directly at the place. We insisted on the interview, but the gas continued to reach us. We all ran out, each of us looking for safety. As I ran, I heard an explosion and I felt something bad had happened to me”(Protected Source).
“I fell, and when I looked at my right leg, it was bleeding. A tear gas grenade had just hit me. All my colleagues had fled and near me were some agents of the Rapid Intervention Unit. I cried out for help, but I was ignored. Minutes later an agent of the Traffic Police arrived and, after seeing the seriousness of my injury, he called a police vehicle and they took me to Maputo Central Hospital where I have been hospitalized until today [Wednesday” (…), Bruno Marrengula, camera operator of TV Glória.
On 21 October 2024, the PODEMOS presidential candidate, Venâncio Mondlane, called a peaceful demonstration to repudiate the barbaric murder of two of his members, namely the lawyer Elvino Dias, and the PODEMOS election agent, Paulo Guambe.
The demonstration intended to demand justice for the murders and to contest both the results of the general elections of 9 October, announced by the Provincial Elections Commissions and the double murder committed on Joaquim Chissano Avenue, on the night of 18 October. That was chosen as the starting point for the demonstration.
In the Republic of Mozambique, the right to Freedom of Assembly and of Demonstration is enshrined in Article 51 of the Constitution of the Republic which states the following “all citizens have the right to freedom of assembly and of demonstration in terms of the law”. Despite this, the protest movement did not happen due to strong police intervention. To this end, the police mobilized all their resources, including the use of equipment not previously known to Mozambicans, such as helicopters.
Early in the morning, the police stationed agents from various specialisms, particularly the Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR), the Special Operations Group of the UIR, the Protection Police, armoured cars, police dog units, special sharpshooters placed on the highest buildings around the area, agents of the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) and plain clothes agents, but carrying weapons of war, such as AK47 rifles.
All operations were led by the UIR whose agents were led by a senior commander.
In a first phase, the police allowed the supporters of Venâncio Mondlane to gather at the place where the murders had taken place. Peacefully, with songs and displaying placards, they expressed their consternation while they waited for their leader to arrive in order to begin the march.
