At least eight people died today, the day Daniel Chapo was sworn in as President of the Republic, according to non-governmental organizations in Mozambique.

According to a publication in the Portuguese newspaper PublicAs Daniel Chapo officially ascended to power, the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) tried to disperse protesters who were setting fire to tires on the road at the entrance to central Maputo, shortly before the investiture ceremony. In the Bairro Luís Cabral area, groups of young people started setting fire to tires at around 9am local time, cutting off the N4, which connects Matola to the entrance to Maputo, leading the police to fire several shots in an attempt to demobilize them.

Citing the DWThere are eight dead in Nampula while Agence France-Presse There were a total of seven fatalities. The spokesperson for the Decide platform, Wilker Dias, said that at least one person died in Maputo during clashes between the police and demonstrators against the investiture of Daniel Chapo and in favor of Venâncio Mondlane. Three others have died in Nampula, says the platform.

In addition, a journalist was reportedly arrested while covering the demonstrations in Mozambique, said the non-governmental organization Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), which has also counted at least four deaths recorded this morning. A 12-year-old boy was allegedly shot dead by police in the Luís Cabral neighborhood, a 29-year-old man was shot in Maquinaque and two other people died in the Xiquelene market.

However, the same newspaper publication Public points out that three of these deaths happened near Machava Socimol, a park in Matola, and another in the Matola-Gare neighborhood. The deaths occurred during clashes between demonstrators and the Mozambican police.

(Photo DR)