Mozambique: No sirens, no escorts – perks of former Governors seemingly ‘transferred’ to Secretaries of State

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Mozambique: No sirens, no escorts – perks of former Governors seemingly ‘transferred’ to Secretaries of State

2:37 CAT | 24 Jan 2020

The new governors were sworn in on Wednesday. [Photo: RM]

This Wednesday, the “odyssey” of the first 10 provincial governors, elected on October 15, 2019, began. It was up to the President of the Republic, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, to swear into office the new “paupers” of Mozambican politics and welcome them to this new phase of their lives.

After long years in which Governors were privileged to be accompanied by sirens and protected by agents of the Unit for the Protection of High Individualities (UPAI) of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) like mini heads of state, the new leaders of the provinces saw these perks reduced: not only did they lose political powers, but also many of the benefits.

One hour after the 10 provincial governors took office in the Office of the Presidency of the Republic, a “secret circular”, dated January 9, 2020, and signed by the UPAI Commander, Benigno Jonasse, was issued, instructing sub-commanders of UPAI units to transfer “all the security devices” from the hands of the Governors to the Secretaries of State.

“Instruction No. 01 / UPAI / GC / 2020” says: “If there is a need to provide protection and security to the figure of Secretary of State, created within the scope of decentralisation and creation of new State Organs, I instruct: the immediate allocation of all the security devices to the Secretary of State, namely escort, ADC and protection in the workplace and residence, and the Governor must maintain only ADC and protection in the residence. To be fulfilled.”

That is, as of this year, the provincial governors lose the right to the escort, and the accompanying sirens. They lose the security of the UPAI, in their work office, as well as during work visits. They will only maintain their ADC (aide-de-camp) and security in their homes. However, according to knowledgeable sources, the State will provide only one agent and not a team of agents, as it did until last year.

Thus, Júlio Parruque (Maputo Province), Margarida Mapandzene Chongo (Gaza), Daniel Tchapo (Inhambane), Lourenço Bulha (Sofala), Francisca Domingas (Manica), Domingos Viola (Tete), Pio Matos (Zambézia), Manuel Rodrigues ( Nampula), Valige Tauabo (Cabo Delgado) and Judite Massangele (Niassa) will not have the perks that were given to their predecessors, at least in the security area.

With this new directive, the protocol vehicles of the Governors will also lose their “personalised” registration, with a red background, consisting of two letters, one designating the position and the other the province. For example: “GZ”, in the case of the Governor of the province of Gaza.

With this circular, issued by the UPAI Commander, doubts arise around the Governor’s workplace, as well as the place of residence. The most pessimistic predict that the palaces reserved for the provincial Governors will be occupied by the Secretaries of State, while the Governors will occupy the residences previously inhabited by the Permanent Secretaries.

The new “Heads of State” in the provinces appointed by the President of the Republic on Wednesday are: Dinis Chambiuane Vilanculos (Niassa), Armindo Saul Atelela Ngunga (Cabo Delgado), Mety Oreste Gondola (Nampula), Judith Emília Leite Mussácula Faria (Zambézia), Elisa Zacarias (Tete), Stella da Graça Pinto Novo Zeca (Sofala), Edson da Graça Francisco Macuácua (Manica), Ludmila Mwaa Rafael Maguni (Inhambane), Amosse Júlio Macamo (Gaza), Vitória Dias Diogo (Maputo Province) and Sheila de Lemos Santana Afonso (Maputo City).

The post of Secretary of State arises from the political-administrative decentralisation of the State, being the State’s representative in the Province. According to article 24 of Law no. 7/2019, of May 31, it is incumbent upon the Secretary of State “to carry out exclusive functions of State sovereignty; and the superintendence and supervision of the State’s representation services in the province, the district, the Administrative Post, the locality and the village”.

Source: Carta de Moçambique