Chapo calls on young Mozambicans to build economic independence

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Chapo calls on young Mozambicans to build economic independence

8:28 CAT | 15 May 2025

Photo> Ministério da Juventude e Desporto

Mozambican President Daniel Chapo on Tuesday urged the youth of Mozambique to take a leading role in building economic independence, based on work, the entrepreneurial spirit and a change in mentality.

Chapojfb

Speaking at a meeting with young people in Barue district, in the central province of Manica, Chapo said the generation that fought the national liberation struggle has carried out its mission and it is up to the youth of today to transform the country, based on wealth generation and self-sufficiency.

The political freedom won in 1975, he continued, was fruit of the sacrifice of youths “younger than those who are here today”, who took up arms to free the country from colonial rule.

Youthhfb

He warned that political independence is not enough, if the country remains economically dependent. “Mozambique will only be rich if each Mozambican becomes rich honestly. The country will never be rich while Mozambicans themselves remain poor”.

Chapo called for a generation of youths “who reject poverty and fight every day to improve their lives”.

He wanted to see the youths of Manica set up their own businesses. “You don’t have to be an employee. Instead, you should be an employer and employ others”. Poverty, he added, is not only material, “but also mental poverty”.

He stressed the new mechanisms the government has set up to support young entrepreneurs, such as the Local Economic Development Fund. 60 to 70 per cent of the loans from this fund would go to young people, Chapo promised.

But he warned that these young entrepreneurs must show good sense, learning from experiences of the past when public funds were misused.

Doubtless Chapo had in mind the District Development Fund (FDD), set up over three decades ago under one of his predecessors, Armando Guebuza. This fund became known as “the seven million” because each district was given seven million meticais from the state budget for projects intended to create jobs and boost food production. This money was supposed to be repaid – but most of the beneficiaries never repaid. Clearly Chapo hopes to avoid a repeat of this debacle.

Source: AIM