Africa-Press – Mozambique. Benny Clor’, a young musician and social activist from Nampula, was kidnapped two weeks ago. He was released two days later, but the trauma is still fresh in his memory. The rapper believes the kidnapping was intended to silence him.
Benedito Manuel, known professionally as ‘Benny Clor’, was kidnapped by so far unidentified armed men on July 21 in Monapo district, while traveling to Nacala, where he worked. He was released on the night of July 23 in Ribáuè district.
The sequence of events began after the 31-year-old asked a new friend, who he had just met, for a ride. The trip, which was supposed to be from Nampula to Nacala, ended, against his will, at a different destination.
“In Namialo [on the continuation of the trip], we were stuck for over an hour because the driver – my supposed friend – had left. We waited for him; there were five of us in total. An hour later, the driver returned with a beer and a soda for me, and we continued our journey. In the Nacololo [Monapo] area, I simply ‘switched off’ – I don’t know if it was sleep. After then, I don’t remember anything else that happened to me,” he begins.
‘Benny Clor’ recalls waking up in captivity, where he spent approximately two days without food or drink. Armed and hooded people surrounded him, and all he could hear were voices. He claims he was tortured physically and psychologically.
“The men took off my face mask, shirt, hat and pants, leaving me completely naked. They took my cell phone and took pictures and videos of me. They told me, ‘Young man, you might get lucky today, but you won’t get lucky next time. You’re too young to talk about things that have nothing to do with you. Stop talking about grown-up issues’, he recalls.
“The goal is to keep me silenced”
The rapper believes the kidnapping was a way to silence him: “Their goal is to keep me silenced and scared, so that I stop making the statements I’ve been making.”
‘Benny Clor’ addresses sensitive topics in his songs, which often anger the political elite close to the party that has governed Mozambique since independence 50 years ago. He wrote songs titled “Stop the 2024 presidential elections”, “They’ll lie to you again”, “You knew”, and “The reality of the country”.
“They told me to delete all my posts and songs on social media, especially any songs that interfere with the government. My songs interfere 100% with the government; they’re very powerful. I sing about the daily lives of the Mozambican people,” the musician emphasizes.
The young man says he reported the case to the authorities. The spokesperson for the Nampula provincial police command, Dércio Samuel said, without recording an interview, that the police were aware of the matter and are investigating.
Fired for ‘tarnishing the company’s reputation’?
Meanwhile, Benedito Manuel lost his job, Samuel reveals. He says he explained everything about the kidnapping to his boss and was fired.
“The bosses said I couldn’t continue [working] because I was tarnishing the company’s reputation and because I am a revolutionary and I make music that speaks out against the government. I am currently unemployed, with a family to care for but, on behalf of this country, I have no regrets. The most ironic thing is that the boss told me that he heard I support Venâncio Mondlane and I make music for social intervention,” he says.
According to Manuel, his former boss also asked him to “go to the Frelimo party to request a membership card, photograph the card, and share it on social media”.
The young rapper doesn’t hide his admiration for former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, but emphasizes that he never belonged to his movement.
“I’m not a supporter of Venâncio, I am a supporter of Venâncio’s ideas,” he clarified.
The assistant manager of the company where the singer worked denied the musician’s claim. Contacted by DW, he agreed to speak on condition of anonymity.
“What he’s saying didn’t come out of my mouth. He abandoned work and did not justify his absence; what he’s saying is a complete lie. I don’t know what party he belongs to. How could I force him to get a membership card if I don’t have one myself?” asks the assistant manager.
Without a job, the young man now finds himself in limbo and awaiting clarification about who kidnapped him.
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