Comiche promises rigour

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Comiche promises rigour

2:07 CAT | 08 Feb 2019

Photo: Twitter / @MoreiraProject

Eneas Comiche took office as Maputo mayor yesterday, promising “rigour” in finding ways to improve residents’ lives.

“We are going to create a hot-line for reporting cases of corruption, and take decisive action against the perpetrators,” Eneas da Conceição Comiche said on the day when, after ten years’ absence, he once again took office as Chairman of the Municipal Council of the City of Maputo.

The inauguration ceremony took place in Independence Square and was attended by representatives of the government, civil society, the diplomatic corps, members of the former municipal executive and citizens.

Comiche, an economist who has served as governor of the Bank of Mozambique and minister of finance, is 80 years old and already knows the house well. In 2008, after serving as Maputo mayor for one term, Comiche passed the torch to David Simango, from whom, yesterday, a decade later, he received it back.

The new mayor, elected on the Frelimo ticket with 56% of votes, was sworn in by the new President of the Municipal Assembly, from whom he received Maputo city key and the flags of the municipality.

In his acceptance speech, Mayor Comiche promised rigorous governance dedicated to improving residents’ living.

“We will do everything possible to improve living conditions in the neighbourhoods – opening more access roads, expanding the public lighting and water supply network and organising informal commerce better,” he said.

As during his electoral campaign, Comiche yesterday outlined his priorities, clarifying his plans in each area of activity.

Concerning public transport, one of citizens’ main concerns, Comiche says he would implement his “Tsutsuma Maputo Programme”, improving transport, mobility and accessibility with a fast bus intermodal transportation system within the Maputo metropolitan area, consolidating the Greater Maputo Metro-Bus operation and building new stations to improve road-rail connectedness.

In his leaving speech, outgoing mayor David Simango said he was leaving with a sense of mission accomplished. “We want to thank the entire team of the City Council executive for the past 10 years, as well as all the staff of this house. We wish the new mayor every success,” he said

All 64 members of the Municipal Assembly took office one by one yesterday. Frelimo has a majority of 37 seats, and does not need to enter into coalitions to get its projects through.

Renamo, which was not part of the last Assembly, returned with 24 members, while the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM) saw its mandate reduced to three. Samuel Modumele, former head of Frelimo’s Bench in the municipal assembly, was elected new president of the body, and Despedida Bento, former councillor of the KaMavota municipal district, becomes vice-president.

By Antonio Tiua

Hoje, começa uma nova etapa no Município da Cidade do Maputo, onde tive o privilégio de ser convidado a assistir à tomada de posse do novo Presidente desta autarquia, Eneas Comiche. pic.twitter.com/1YqJ2pLCjC

— Moreira Chonguiça (@MoreiraProject) February 8, 2019