OPEN LETTER TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOZAMBIQUE, HIS EXCELLENCY, ARMANDO EMÍLIO GUEBUZA

QUESTION: BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER ZAMBEZE

YOUR EXCELLENCY

Through this letter we look to congratulate your excellency, as well as your Government for the completion of the construction of the Bridge over the River Zambeze.

For a country like ours, with elevated rates of poverty, constructing in record time, a work of this scale is without a margin of a doubt a reason for pride in your Government as well as the whole mozambican population. It represents the spirit of sacrifice, dedication and knowledge of our people.

Designed with a length of 2.3 kilometres, the bridge over the Zambeze is endowed with two roadways, road margins and pavements on each side.Comprising, on the other hand, of 13 metres (height) of high caliber river substructure, to allow the navegation of the canal during periods of high magntiude floods for a timescale of between 1 and 20 years.

This project, estimated at close to 80 million euros, 25 million financed by the European Commission, 20 million by the Italian Government, 18.312 million by Switzerland and more than 9 million injected by Japan, adds up to a contribution of close to 12 million euros by the Mozambican Government.

The work employed close to 346 workers, of which 280 were nationals and 66 foreign workers. All the technology applied to the bridge is of the highest standard for the african continent, distinguishes itself as a spring board for the construction of the carriageway that moves from bay to bay without change in its respective control. This, according to experts allows work to continue uninterrupted even in periods of flooding.

YOUR EXCELLENCY

This work that remained known as `Ponte da Unidade´ (Bridge of Unity) during its construction, the majestic infrastructure that links the centre and the north of Mozambique, shall be, according to information made public, named `Ponte Armando Guebuza´ (Bridge of Armando Guebuza), after the 1st of August, the date of its inauguration.

This information was made public, in Beira, on the 1st of July 2009, by the Minister of Public Works and Habitation, Felício Zacarias. He justified the decision alleging that the present Head of State has demonstrated great promise in the development of the counrty, above all in the sector of roadways.

Those who know of all the projects of ROCKS (roadways and bridges), financed by cooperation partners, know that the Government´s interest in roads and bridges comes from the Government of President Chissano. Considering this, this argument does not hold.

Therefore, we, mentioned below,

Conscious of the efforts that the Government have carried out in the attainment of resources in order to turn this dream into a reality,

Convinced of the strategic importance of this work in the consolidation of national unity,

Imbued with the deepest sense of national pride,

Look to, in this way, appeal to your excellency, for ethical reasons and for justice to not accept the ´proposal´ advanced by the Minister of Public Works and Habitation, in the sense of the bridge over the river Zambeze, displaying your name!

We do this because we feel this attitude depreciates the sentimento f the bridge, designed for national unity.

We are not in favour of deification and not in favour of the worship of personalities in office. In many countries it is common practise to not attribute the names of living personalities to public institutions. We would like your excellency to enter into history not like Salazar, Mussolini, Hitler and others who left their names stamped on large scale works but that after your death such undertakings change name.

Your excellency, leave it to history, to the population to divinify you. It is said that euolgy to one´s self is a disgrace. Do not allow the false eulogy, boot-licking and subserviency of your colaborators to take away the Digntiy, Sense of Justice, Humility and Greatness that the moment requires.

We salute your excellency´s and your Government´s iniciative to devote the year 2009 as the year of Eduardo Mondlane, in recognition of the virtues and vision of Mondlane.

This is the moment to give substance to this exaltation. Do this, by bestowing, in the year of Mondlane, the name of Eduardo Mondlane to the bridge of Zambeze, in memory of this son of Mozambique and Architect of National Unity, unequivocally accepted by all, who gave his life so that Mozambique could today be free.

In case your excellency does not agree, we appeal for you to chose one of the following names that could be attributed to this majestic feat of engineering.

Ponte 4 de Outubro (Bridge of the 4th of October) - in hommage to Peace

Ponte de Chimaura (Bridge of Chimaura) - in hommage to all the effort of the mozambican population and in particular, the people of Zambézia in the fight for the bridge´s construction.
Ponte sobre o Zambeze (Bridge over the Zambeze) - in hommage to this gigantic river that feeds our country

Ponte da Unidade Nacional (Bridge of National Unity) - in hommage to the elimination of a geographical accident that impedes our counrty from uniting itself

Ponte Filipe Samuel Magaia (Bridge of Filipe Samuel Magaia) – in hommage to the great stategist of armed fighting for National Independence

Ponte 25 de Junho (Bridge of the 25th of July) – in hommage to the day of independence

Ponte 25 de Setembro (Bridge of the 25th of September) – in hommage to the start of the heroic, historical feats of the heroes in the fight for Independence

Be sure, Mr President, that your name (if this were the case) would merely remain inscribed on the plaque and in the discussions of the occasion, because in the memory of the people the bridge will always be the bridge of Unity, the bridge of the Zambeze or the bridge of Eduardo Mondlane.

History will judge you or History will do you justice.

With nothing further to say, we will take the opportunity to address our protests to you most elevated consideration, by signing below.

Respectfully,