The Mozambican president today demanded that the new police commander, after taking office, combat kidnappings and terrorism and called for the restoration of trust between society and members of the force to curb crime.
"Everyone is aware that terrorism, kidnappings, money laundering, incitement to violence, violent demonstrations, compliance with illegal orders, disobedience and other types of crimes are part of the most visible threats to order (...), so that its combat and eradication must be a priority", recommended the President of Mozambique, Daniel Chapo.
The Mozambican president today swore in the new commander of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM), Joaquim Adriano Silva, replacing Bernardino Rafael, having demanded a fight against organized crime to restore peace to Mozambicans.
"No result is achieved without discipline and, as the PRM is a paramilitary institution, whose discipline is vertical, it is up to you, dear commander, to instill discipline in your members, always bearing in mind that leadership by example produces better results", advised Daniel. Chapo.
The Mozambican Head of State also asked the new police commander to be proactive, saying that he must be guided by the continuous analysis of the different types of crimes, including the identification of new threats.
"We expect an increasingly humanized police force where discipline and resourcefulness are the hallmark," appealed Daniel Chapo, promising to equip the Defense and Security Forces with the means to combat organized crime.
Among other roles, Joaquim Adriano Sive was provincial commander of the PRM in Cabo Delgado and Nampula.
In statements to the media after taking office, Joaquim Adriano Sive promised to restore citizens' trust in the Mozambican police and stop organized crime, particularly kidnappings.
"Of the pressing issues that plague our society, one of them has to do with kidnappings. We will continue to fight this crime, certain that we must have capable people within our institution," said the new commander, promising public order and security to Mozambicans.
"We have to rebuild trust with the population, because we can have thousands of police officers, we can have enough vehicles, but if we don't have the comfort, the support, the support of the population, we can do little or nothing," he concluded.
Around 150 businesspeople have been kidnapped in Mozambique in the last 12 years and a hundred have left the country out of fear, according to figures released in July by the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (CTA), which argues that it is time for the government to say "enough".
Mozambican police have registered, as of March 2024, a total of 185 cases of kidnappings and at least 288 people have been detained on suspicion of involvement in this type of crime since 2011, Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda previously announced.
Since October 2017, the gas-rich province of Cabo Delgado has been facing an armed rebellion with attacks claimed by movements associated with the extremist group Islamic State.
The last major attack occurred on May 10 and 11, at the district headquarters of Macomia, with around a hundred insurgents looting the town, causing several deaths and heavy fighting with the Mozambican Defense and Security Forces and Rwandan military, who support Mozambique in the fight against the rebels.
