For more than a week, internet access in Mozambique has been restricted, throttled by authorities in a desperate bid to silence protests that have swept the nation.

Listen to this article 7 min Listen to this article 7 min What began as a demand for electoral justice has evolved into something far deeper. This movement is a cry against the erosion of life's basic dignity, the plague of corruption and the growth of criminal networks that have turned Mozambique into a drug-trafficking crossroads, enriching an elite tied to the ruling party, Frelimo.

These protesters--young, determined, and undeterred--are asking for the right to build a life with opportunity, to find work, to imagine a future. They are standing against the exploitation of Mozambique's natural wealth, which benefits a small privileged circle while leaving the majority in poverty. Yet, their voices are being muted, as access to the internet--their primary tool for organising and speaking out--is systematically cut.

Three telecom operators--Vodacom, TMcel, and Movitel--are executing these digital blackouts. Vodacom, a subsidiary of the global giant Vodafone, and Movitel, a company with Vietnamese ties and links to Frelimo, are among those denying millions of Mozambicans their connection to the world.

The shutdown is more than just a barrier to communication; it is a form of digital apartheid, disproportionately affecting impoverished, marginalised communities where resistance to the Frelimo regime is strongest....