Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)

The Mozambican police on Monday quickly quelled attempted disturbances in the Maputo suburb of Zimpeto, and at Bobole, in Marracuene district, 30 kilometres north of the capital, according to a report on the private television station, STV.

Both areas had been hit by the rioting last Tuesday against increases in the fares charged by private minibuses. The riots were successful in that they obliged the government and the Federation of Road Transport Associations (FEMATRO) to revoke the fare increase.

This seems to have encouraged people with other grievances to take to the street. Some of the would-be protestors at Bobole told STV their main grievance was the lack of transport to take sick people to hospital.

While these disturbances were easily quelled, more serious trouble was under way in Chokwe, in the neighbouring province of Gaza. STV reported that gangs of youths were on the streets in protest against high prices, and had clashed with police. Few details are yet available.