Mozambican parliament approves law to operationalize new districts

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambican parliament approves law to operationalize new districts

2:20 CAT | 28 Apr 2017

Lusa (File photo) / The parliament in session

The Mozambican parliament on Wednesday approved a law operationalizing 16 new administrative districts with a budget of 892 million meticais (EUR 12.4 million ). The law creates new ‘localidades’ and administrative posts within three new districts approved last year and in another 13 districts created in 2013.

The law was approved with the votes in favour from the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), ruling party and holding the majority in parliament, and of the Movimento Democrático de Moçambique (MDM), the third largest party, with the lowest number of deputies.

The Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), the main opposition party voted against the law, claiming that it increases public spending and does not respond to the wishes of the population for more infrastructures and services.

“The population have never decided the appointment of a head of locality or administrative post,” Renamo argued.

According to the Minister of State Administration and Public Administration, Carmelita Namashulua, the aim is to adjust Mozambique’s territorial organization to the current economic, social and cultural development of the country and to complement and operationalize the new districts.

The law, she continued, aims to “make government action more effective, bring public administration services closer to citizens, increase their access, and encourage citizens’ initiative and participation in identifying and seeking solutions to the problems of the respective local communities”.

Mozambique is composed of 11 provinces, which in turn are divided into districts, administrative posts, localities and settlements [distritos, postos administrativos, localidades e povoações].

Source: Lusa