Maputo — Mozambique's self-exiled presidential candidate, Venancio Mondlane, on Friday announced that yet another round of turmoil will begin next week.
In a live broadcast, transmitted on his Facebook page, from an undisclosed location, Mondlane said he is preparing what he called his "ponta de lanca' (spearhead) or "recta final' (final stretch).
On previous occasions, Mondlane has told his followers that the next round of unrest will be the last, but it never is.
He promised to give more instructions about the "spearhead' on Monday - but he has already drawn up a list of targets, including offices of the ruling Frelimo Party, ministries, the President's office, and local government buildings.
He insisted that his supporters should not attack shops or factories. Over the previous week rioters had looted dozens of shops, supermarkets and warehouses while, in most cases, the police took no measures to stop them.
Mondlane appears to be telling his followers that they should leave private businesses alone, but he has no problem with them destroying government or Frelimo buildings.
He also called yet another general strike. Nobody should go to work next Monday, he ordered.
He was infuriated that local groups of citizens are clearing up the debris left by previous riots. TV crews showed these groups sweeping away the broken glass, the ashes left by burning tyres, and other rubbish. Mondlane denounced this as if it was some kind of government conspiracy.
Some semblance of normality is beginning to return to the shattered streets. On Friday morning, there was no passenger transport available in Maputo, but by mid-afternoon at least some of the mini-buses (known as "chapas') that provide much of the city's passenger transport were back on the roads.
Since there are no longer any rioters erecting barricades, and no gangs of young men demanding money from motorists, traffic was flowing freely.
But there is a looming crisis of fuel supplies. Most petrol stations in Maputo and the neighbouring city of Matola closed down for fear of attack by rioters. At the stations that were open long queues of vehicles built up. It is far from clear when the petrol pumps will be resupplied.
The rioters had looted many shops in central Maputo, and few of those that survived dared to open on Friday.
But on Saturday morning, some of the banks reopened, and long queues built up to withdraw money from the ATMs.
From the government there was nothing but sepulchral silence.
