Mozambique businesses remain impacted after election-related civil unrest

MAPUTO - Business in Mozambique remains severely impacted after weeks of civil unrest in the country.

And while peace has somewhat been restored, questions over the country’s future linger.

Military personnel have been deployed along the crucial corridor towards the country's capital of Maputo from the South African border post.

On Wednesday, ruling Frelimo party leader, Daniel Chapo, will be inaugurated at Independence Square in the capital following contentious polls.

The borders between South Africa and Mozambique were strikingly quiet on Tuesday afternoon, with only a handful of trucks and very little movement of people between the two countries.

Driving along the corridor towards the capital of Maputo, military vehicles could be seen stationed at certain hotspot areas as remnants of burning debris lined parts of the highway.

Civil unrest erupted in Mozambique last year following allegations that the country's October elections were rigged after the ruling Frelimo party came out on top.

Much of the unrest was seen to be fuelled by opposition leader, Venancio Modlane, who returned to Mozambique last week following two months of self-imposed exile.

Modlane called on Mozambicans to embark on a three-day peaceful national shutdown, which commenced on Monday.

The result has seen the capital of Maputo, often a hub of business and commercial activity, transformed into a ghost town.