Dia da Independência Nacional

The statue of Mozambique’s first post-independence President Samora Machel has been surrounded by lights, a stage and other apparatus. A concert is being held here on the Praça da Independência to mark the 44th anniversary of the end of Portuguese colonial rule. I live close to here so sleep has been hard to come by, especially around midnight when the burst of fireworks began.

Today is a public holiday and generally Mozambicans gather as families, drink beer and relax. I took the opportunity to cycle to the office on quiet roads and in non-blistering temperatures. There’s an important meeting I’m preparing for tomorrow, so I wanted to get ahead of the game.