Mozambique: MDM challenges government to disclose list of transport subsidy beneficiaries

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Mozambique: MDM challenges government to disclose list of transport subsidy beneficiaries

2:05 CAT | 18 Jul 2022

Screen grab: TV Sucesso

The MDM, Mozambique’s third-largest political party, said on Saturday that the high cost of living in Mozambique resulted in part from corruption and poor governance.

The leader of the Mozambican Democratic Movement (MDM) Luteror Simango on Saturday (16-07) blamed the Mozambican government for the high cost of living in the country, saying it was caused not only by the war in Ukraine, but also by “widespread corruption, poor governance and lack of public policies aimed at [benefitting] the population”.

Simango was speaking in Maputo at the opening of the party’s Political Commission, with the social crisis plaguing Mozambique, accelerated by the rise in prices of essential goods and criticism of the Frelimo government, dominating his speech.

“It is clear that Mozambicans from all social strata nationally, with the exception of the elite linked to power, are being suffocated by the government’s governance and discriminatory practices,” he said.

This governance model, according to Simango, undermines “an environment conducive to constructive dialogue with society”.

The meeting of the MDM Political Commission takes place a few days after some Mozambican cities were affected by demonstrations orchestrated via social media. The protests were aimed at protesting the high cost of living and lack of solutions to alleviate the suffering of Mozambicans, according to organisers.

In a clear allusion to the demonstration on Thursday (14-07), Simango says that the people are fed up and have lost confidence in the government.

Policestrike.dw_ — *Police were heavily armed to contain last Thursday’s demonstrations.*

“It is up to the government to read the moment and change attitudes. Otherwise, power will be exercised in the public square,” Simango said.

The MDM says the Mozambican government has refused to adopt sound economic and fiscal measures to alleviate the cost of debt to the country.

A few days ago, the Mozambican government announced a subsidy estimated at around US$50 million for transporters faced with the high cost of fuel in the country.

But this money, the MDM president says, “aims to feed the web of corruption and political patronage”.

“We challenge the government to publish the list of the beneficiaries of these subsidies, and the impact of these subsidies on the daily life of mothers who use domestic gas to prepare food for their families,” Simango said.

For the MDM, the only way to mitigate the impact of the rise in the price of fuel on Mozambique’s 30 million citizens is to reduce VAT and taxes and address the burgeoning fees associated with the marketing of fuel.

Source: Deutsche Welle