Dombe needs development before becoming a district – Nyusi

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Dombe needs development before becoming a district – Nyusi

9:18 CAT | 16 Jul 2018

Photo courtesy: ‎Cassene Nelsinho Fombe‎ Facebook

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi warned on Friday that the administrative post of Dombe, in the central province of Manica, cannot be raised to the category of a district in its current stage of development.

Addressing a rally in Dombe, as part of a working visit to Manica, he recognised that the local people want to see Dombe, which is currently an administrative post within Sussundenga district, given district status – but for that to happen, Dombe must be placed on the path of development.

Instability in the area, due to the activity of the militia of the rebel movement Renamo has held up development. Nyusi recalled that some investors had drawn up projects, including for a factory making ethanol, but abandoned their plans for fear that the projects might be destroyed.

During the war of destabilisation, Dombe had a reputation as a Renamo stronghold, and several major Renamo bases were installed in the Sitatonga mountains there.

But currently Dombe, like the rest of Manica, is at peace. The truce declared by the late Renamo leader, Afonso Dhlakama, in December 2016, has held, and plans to demobilise the Renamo militia, recruiting its members into the army and the police, or sending them back into civilian life, are well advanced.

Nyusi told the crowd that on Thursday he had spoken to some of the Renamo militiamen in Barue district, “and I urged that those who still have guns should allow those who want to work to do so”.

He urged Dombe residents to continue to ensure the maintenance of peace in order to attract the investments which will put Dombe on the road to development.

Nyusi said enough people live in Dombe to justify raising its status from administrative post to district, but a series of other conditions must be satisfied, notably improving the infrastructures in the area. “Sooner or later, Dombe will become a district”, he promised.

Among those who spoke at the rally was one man who urged Nyusi to choose “people who love peace” as his personal advisers. The President replied that his advisers include ministers, provincial governors and district administrators – but his most important adviser “is the people”.

Dombe residents also asked for roads in the area to be paved, for improved water and electricity supplies, for means of transport to take their crops to market, and for a hospital with an operating theatre.

Replying to some of these concerns, Nyusi said that the government is seeking funds to pave the road linking Sussundenga district to the main north-south highway (EN1). This will cost about 30 million US dollars.

Improved water supplies for Dombe and for Sussundenga town are included in the government’s five years programme for 2015-2019, he said.

In the health area, the expansion of the Dombe health centre, which Nyusi had visited earlier in the day, had been a priority, and he pledged that an operating theatre will be built in Sussundenga town.

Source: AIM