What You Need to Know
Plataforma Decide, a Mozambican NGO, condemned police violence during a women’s protest in Nampula, where a woman was shot and a minor injured. Protesters demanded capulanas promised by the First Lady for Women’s Day. The NGO called for an independent investigation into the police’s use of lethal force and emphasized the need for better training and protocols.
Africa-Press – Mozambique. Plataforma Decide, a Mozambican non-governmental organisation (NGO), has reported that police shot a woman and a minor was run over during protests demanding the distribution of capulanas in celebration of Mozambican Women’s Day.
According to the NGO, the woman was shot on Saturday while authorities tried to disperse a women’s protest in the locality of Anchilo, Nampula province. Protesters blocked sections of National Highway Number1 (N1), preventing the movement of people and goods, and were calling for the receipt of capulanas—traditional printed cloth—previously promised by the First Lady of Mozambique, Gueta Chapo.
The First Lady reportedly pledged in early February to provide capulanas to all women in the country in time for 7 April, the national day celebrating Mozambican women, assuring that “no one” would be excluded from the distribution.
During the protest in Nampula, the Mozambican police reportedly fired shots to disperse the crowd. A 13-year-old girl was also run over at the scene but has since been discharged from hospital.
“During the police intervention, a citizen was shot in the chin and is currently receiving medical care at Nampula Central Hospital. In addition, a 13-year-old minor was run over; he has since been discharged and is recovering,” read a statement from Plataforma Decide.
The NGO stated that police used “lethal ammunition” to disperse the women’s demonstration.
“Plataforma Decide considers these events a serious violation of human rights, including the right to protest and the right to physical integrity. The use of potentially lethal force in civil protest contexts raises serious concerns about proportionality, legality, and necessity,” the statement added, calling the police action “unacceptable.”
The NGO has called for an “independent and impartial” investigation into the incident, including the accountability of those involved, as well as measures to strengthen police training and operational protocols during protests.
Attempts by Lusa to obtain a response from the Mozambican Republic Police (PRM) in Nampula province were unsuccessful.
7 April in Mozambique marks the death of Josina Machel in 1971, the first wife of Samora Machel.
Josina Machel played a key role in mobilising women in the struggle against the Portuguese colonial regime, co-founding the Female Detachment of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) and serving as head of the Social Affairs Section and the Women’s Section in the Department of Foreign Relations.
April 7 marks the commemoration of Josina Machel’s death, a significant figure in Mozambique’s fight against colonialism. She was instrumental in mobilizing women for the liberation struggle and held key positions within the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo). Her legacy continues to inspire women’s rights movements in the country today. The recent protests highlight ongoing issues regarding women’s rights and police conduct in Mozambique, reflecting a broader struggle for civil liberties and social justice.
