Decentralization is nothing new in Mozambique – President Nyusi

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Decentralization is nothing new in Mozambique – President Nyusi

12:55 CAT | 12 Aug 2016

File photo / President Filipe Nyusi

President of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi has reiterated that decentralisation is nothing new in Mozambique, and, on the contrary, it is already a reality in all provinces of the country, according to this report from the AIM news service in Portuguese.

Indeed, the Mozambican government launched the process in the 1990s – the 1990 Constitution of the Republic already provided for gradual decentralisation with a view to bringing decision-making centres closer to the people.

Mozambique held the first municipal elections in 1998 covering 33 villages and cities, and the four elections in 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013 saw the total number of villages and cities covered by municipalisation widen from 33 to the current 53 municipalities.

Funhalouro, said the president, is an example of decentralisation since, before it was made a district, it formed part of Massinga.

Every five years, local elections open to politicians and independent civil society organizations are held in the country, with the next vote in this gradual process of decentralisation scheduled for 2018.

Frelimo, the ruling party, holds 49 of the 53 municipalities of the country. The rest are under the management of the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), the third-largest opposition party.

In the history of the municipalisation process, Renamo, the main opposition party, participated in only two elections, in 2003 and 2008, having boycotted the first (1998) and the last (2013).

“Decentralization is nothing new in Mozambique, and it does not scare us,” the head of state told a rally in the district headquarters of Funhalouro, in Inhambane province, where he went to show solidarity with the local population, living in fear because of attacks perpetrated by armed Renamo men.

“We, the Mozambican people, know when we are ready to take another step forward,” Nyusi said.

Renamo’s position in the political dialogue hinges on its demand to govern in the six provinces where it claims to have won the 2014 elections.

Nyusi explained that this exercise bringing power closer to the people came on the very day that the Africa Day of Decentralization and good governance practices was being celebrated, with ceremonies taking place on Wednesday in the Magude district of Maputo province.

One example of decentralisation is the District Development Fund, allocated to districts to promote development. In its last session, parliament approved the creation of three new districts in Gaza province: Limpopo, Chonguene and Mapai.

Source: AIM