Mozambique was again under threats of public demonstrations on Wednesday, with the authorities mobilizing the Republic Police to control the spirits of fish market vendors demanding fair fees.

The Fish Market, on the Maputo waterfront, is one of the city's main tourist attractions.

Waving placards and chanting their demands, under the watchful eye of a considerable number of heavily armed police officers, dozens of vendors blocked the road for several hours to show their displeasure.

"Here we pay very high fees that make our activity unsustainable" one of the protesters told VOA.

Municipality says there is nothing to pay

On the other hand, the merchants are demanding compensation for the time they occupied the old market, where they were moved six years ago, because they are seeing the birth of a real estate project there.

"We want money from the old market, where we were taken away without compensation, because to be valued is because for decades we took care of the place until it was appreciated" said one of the protesters.

The capital's markets and fairs councilman, Danúbio Lado, reacted to the survey, showing the opinion of the edification.

"They were allocated here at the fish market with better conditions without any commitment of compensation. In addition, they received new infrastructure here, to develop their activity in better conditions," said the councilman.

Police on alert

In parallel with the withdrawal of the vendors, messages calling for demonstrations are again circulating in the capital.

The general commander of the PRM, Bernardino Rafael, says that the police are alert and ready for anything.

"We are on public roads, in major plazas and bus terminals working and we ask you to cooperate with us," Rafael said.

He justified that "we want to prevent people from moving towards any demonstrations, because demonstrations only slow down our development.