Clanging pans: Why Mozambique’s election protesters refuse to go away
Al Jazeera
More than a month after a disputed election, protests still roil the country, taking innovative forms, even as shutdowns bleed the economy.
Maputo, Mozambique – At 7pm on November 4, Maputo’s streets fell into an eerie silence.
Public transportation was at a standstill, adhering to opposition leader Venancio Mondlane’s call for a shutdown.
Then, a steady clanging began. Residents in affluent high rises and inner-city apartment blocks alike joined in a coordinated chorus of a pot-banging protest.
Known as a “panelaco”, this form of protest has emerged as a powerful way to voice frustrations over Mozambique’s disputed general election results, allowing citizens to express dissent without facing the immediate risk of police retaliation. The clatter and clang echoed across the city’s skyline, marking the start of what would become nightly expressions of frustration, uniting residents across class divides.
Since the October 9 elections, the declaration of the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo) presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner has sparked intense discontent. According to the National Election Commission (CNE), Chapo received 71 percent of the vote and Mondlane, an independent candidate, received 20 percent.
