This afternoon, the company Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) interrupted the electricity supply in the southern part of the country due to protesters.

In a statement, EDM says that a group of demonstrators went to the Ressano Garcia and Gigawatt Thermoelectric Power Plants, demanding a total halt to energy production as part of an alleged protest movement.

"This situation is causing a shortfall in electricity supply capacity to the provinces of Maputo Gaza, Inhambane, as well as the city of Maputo, in the order of 150 MW, a capacity that supplies around 30% of the demand of the provinces in the southern region of the country," the EDM statement said.

Faced with this scenario, EDM says that it was forced to make power restrictions in the southern zone, on a scheduled and rotating basis, in order to minimize the impact of the shutdown on consumers.

EDM also warns that the resumption of normal operations at the power stations will depend on developments on the ground and the ability to control the situation, which is currently quite complex and worrying.