Maputo, July 21, 2025 (Lusa) - A police force of more than fifty officers on Monday forced street vendors to leave the sidewalks of Praça dos Combatentes and occupy stalls inside the market in Maputo, the Mozambican capital, after a week of awareness raising.
"Today marks the start of the ban. This is the phase in which selling is prohibited in Praça dos Combatentes, which is a public place. We said previously that we were raising awareness among vendors to remove themselves from inappropriate locations, and we believe that the message has been received, and this is what we are seeing now,” Naftal Lay, spokesperson for the municipal police in Maputo, who was at the scene of the operation, told journalists.
On July 12, the Maputo municipal authority announced that it intended to remove street vendors from the roadside and pavements, claiming that they were putting their lives at risk and hindering traffic, in an ultimatum that had been given for last Monday but was eventually extended until the weekend.
Naftal Lay said that the police had taken “prohibitive measures” after the seven-day extension for selling in “inappropriate” places had expired, noting that a total of 1,743 street vendors had occupied the stalls designated in the local market during the awareness-raising campaign carried out by the authorities.
The places on the pavement, usually filled with street traders, were occupied today by public protection police officers and municipal police at 6 a.m. (5 a.m. in Lisbon) to stop vendors who were still trying to set up stalls on the kerbs, contrary to the municipal order.
With the pavements empty, only hawkers remained resistant to the order to leave, claiming there was not enough space inside the market.
The municipal police spokesman clarified that there was no "intention to take any coercive measures" against the vendors in view of the police contingent on site, stating that this was only a preventive measure.
“The police presence here is purely preventive,” clarified Naftal Lay, minutes after the arrival of more police officers with shields and batons.
He also asked for the cooperation of pedestrians who buy products in the square to enter the market or other suitable places to do their shopping.
“Don’t look around here, look for vendors in appropriate places. The vendors will be in the markets, such as Coreano, Mazambane and June 1, and not in this place, which is unsuitable for buying any kind of product,” concluded Naftal Lay.
The Praça dos Combatentes is confused with a market due to its characteristic hustle and bustle, with vendors shouting to display their products, public transport drivers calling for passengers and motorists honking their horns to try to drive away vendors and customers who occupy part of the road, as well as the pavements.
VIYS/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa/
