Protesters have heeded the call of the Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique’s (Podemos) leader, Venâncio Mondlane, to calm down and use yesterday and today, December 29, to bury their dead and attend to the injured.

In a Facebook Live on Friday, Mondlane claimed that more than 400 people have died since the protest actions started. Only sporadic actions of violence have been reported since then.

Watch: An entire village was set on fire. Video: Ferrão Florentino Abilio/Facebook

Most borders were fully operational since yesterday and main centres received fuel supply, causing long queues to form at filling stations.

Mondlane also gave a stern warning to the South African government to ‘change its position, because they depend on our gas and energy’. He has called on Mozambicans to stay indoors tomorrow and to tune in for the announcement of the ‘frontline phase’ of protest actions, and said Podemos’ focus was on public institutions that orchestrated, executed and legitimised electoral fraud.

The extent of the looting and vandalisation of Quantum Foods, one of the largest egg producers in Mozambique, situated in the Boane district, has been confirmed. Its eggs are sold under the Galovos brand and it produces 3.2 million eggs per month, which are sold in all main retail shops. Chickens were stolen and the farmsteads plundered.

South African cattle farms in the country have also lost stock in the latest incidents.

Yesterday morning, the Municipal Council of the City of Pemba’s president, Satar Abdulgani, issued an official statement cancelling all shows, parties and the use of fireworks for the end of 2024. This decision was made considering the violent protests in the country and in solidarity with the victims of Tropical Cyclone Chido in Pemba. Abdulgani emphasised that the security situation was not favourable to host large gatherings or people, and therefore banned any events, shows and the use of fireworks in Pemba.

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