Police, soldiers and Macomia residents clean up potential malaria mosquito breeding sites. Picture: Rwanda MoD.

Protests and violence in the wake of a disputed October election and a subsequent pronouncement by the Mozambique Constitutional Council has not deterred a contingent of Rwandan soldiers from their protection of civilians and civil-military co-operation (CMC) mandates.

Capital Maputo has been and remains the scene of violent protest but 2 480 km north in Cabo Delgado town Macomia, Rwandan soldiers working alongside FADM (Forças Armadas de Defesa de Moçambique) and Mozambique Republic Police (PRM – Polícia da República de Moçambique) knuckled down to keep the malaria threat at bay.

The Rwandan Ministry of Defence reports the east African country’s Rwandan Security Force (RSF) commitment to Mozambique was part of a clean-up of sewage channels and brush cutting under the banner of “Umuganda” (coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome).

Soldiers and police were supported by around 300 local residents which saw RSF Major Philbert Karanganwa commend them for helping to improve living conditions in their neighbourhood.

Earlier this week South Africa’s NATJOINTS (National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure) indicated President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government of national unity (GNU) was “engaging” the Mozambique government to address concerns around potential cross-border implications. At the same time Professor Sidney Mufamadi, a former South African police minister and now national security advisor, was named a special envoy to South Africa’s eastern neighbour by Ramaphosa. He will, reports have it, engage “all relevant stakeholders” .

A 28 December security alert issued by the United States (US) Embassy in Mozambique has it “protests turned into rioting in the days after the Constitutional Council’s December 23 final determination that Mozambique’s ruling party won national elections”.

“The situation has been especially volatile in the cities of Matola and Maputo, and rural areas and villages throughout Mozambique, especially southern Nampula Province. Government buildings, police stations, and political party headquarters were the primary targets of attacks. However, looters also destroyed vehicles, warehouses, and factories,” the alert reads further. Defence Web