Maputo, June 17, 2026 (Lusa) — The Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD) on Wednesday highlighted the “excessive and disproportionate” use of force by the Mozambican police during protests by motorcycle taxi drivers in Tete, in which two people were shot dead, and called for a swift and independent investigation.
“The police conduct reveals the persistence of a worrying pattern of excessive and disproportionate use of force in the context of demonstrations. This pattern became particularly evident during the post-election crisis of 2024 and 2025, a period in which more than 500 people lost their lives as a result of police actions,” reads a statement issued by the Mozambican NGO.
At issue is the death of at least two people and the injury of another, all shot, on Tuesday during violent clashes between police (PRM) and demonstrators, following protests by motorbike taxi drivers in Tete against the multi-sectoral enforcement operation carried out by the PRM and the Tete municipal police.
According to the document, despite the seriousness of the events, there has so far been no effective accountability for the officers involved, which, in the NGO’s view, contributes to the consolidation of a climate of impunity and the recurrence of violent practices by the security forces.
“In light of these events, the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights strongly condemns the use of lethal force against protesters and demands the launch of a swift, independent and impartial investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the deaths and injuries recorded in Tete,” the statement reads.
The CDD also argues that all officers involved, as well as their superiors, should be held legally accountable “should violations of police procedures be confirmed”.
“Accountability is essential to breaking the cycle of impunity that continues to fuel police violence and to restoring citizens’ trust in the institutions responsible for ensuring public safety,” the NGO concludes.
Footage released by the local media shows people fleeing, fires and barricades along the road, black smoke, as well as armed public security officers, municipal police and firefighters at various points across the city of Tete.
The PRM in Tete assured Rádio Mozambique that it would continue with its enforcement operations, despite the unrest.
“The provincial command of the Police of Mozambique, in Tete province, reiterates that enforcement actions to ensure compliance with road traffic regulations are continuing with the aim of preventing road traffic accidents and their consequences, and calls for voluntary and scrupulous compliance with the provisions of the Highway Code here in our province, which are also in force throughout the country,” said Feliciano da Câmara, spokesperson for the PRM in Tete.
The unrest temporarily disrupted traffic on National Road 7, the epicentre of the demonstrations, whilst at Tete Provincial Hospital, relatives of the victims wept and lamented what had happened, questioning the police actions.
“He left in the morning and said he’d be back soon, and after an hour or two, we heard he was lying there, shot. When we went to see, he’d been shot in the head (…). [The victim] had nothing to do with any of this; he wasn’t even on the road,” said a relative of one of the victims on Tuesday, as quoted by the private channel Soico Televisão.
Lusa contacted the Mozambican police spokesperson in Tete on the same day for further clarification, but received no response.
LCE/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
