NEWS SUMMARY. 1ST OCTOBER, 2009.

DEMOCRACY, GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION



Electoral bodies accredit journalists and observers

Is already in the process of accreditation of journalists and foreign and domestic observers for the parliamentary, presidential and provincial elections of October 28. Until yesterday the National Electoral Commission accredited ninety eight national and two international observers, 144 Mozambican journalists. No foreign journalist was accredited.
In this context, the electoral bodies so far received applications for accreditation to international election observers representing various organizations, such as the European Union (EU) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Notícias. 1st October, 2009.

http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz/pls/notimz2/getxml/pt/contentx/894323



CNE manipulated process - accused MDM

MDM, Democratic Movement of Mozambique, accused the National Electoral Commission (CNE) to have "lost files" of its candidates for parliamentary elections. This presented documents to journalists, as prove of the illegality.
The indictment comes two days after the Constitutional Council has rejected a complaint by MDM, which challenged a decision of the CNE to reprove its candidacy for the parliamentary elections in nine constituencies.
By annulling the nominations of the party in most of the country, the CNE allows this to compete in only four constituencies. However MDM ensures that it did all that the law required and that the decision of CNE was deliberate.

http://www.opais.co.mz/opais/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2832:cne-extraviou-processos-acusa-mdm&catid=63:politica&Itemid=273



Some parties excluded threaten to appeal to the electorate abstaining
The group of 15 parties excluded from the electoral process has promised to decide radically against what it called the "political decision" of the Constitutional Council (CC) to keep the resolution passed by the National Electoral Commission (CNE). After the decision of the CC, the group is now asking for intervention by the international community, development partners, and the President of the Republic to seek other ways to find consensus in this electoral conflict.
One of the solutions, according the group, would be the delay of the process and the creation of a High Authority that would manage the electoral process to make it credible. If there is no solution that satisfies the group, it will initiate measures designed to appeal to the members and voters in general to stay in their homes on the voting day. Such appeals shall be accompanied with popular uprisings.

Listed in the group of these parties are PASOMO, SOL, PIMO, PARENA, the Electoral Union, UDM, the ecologists, among others.

http://www.savana.co.mz/mediafax/68-ultimas/1683-excluidos-ameacam-apelar-a-abstencao

Members of Parliament say it is illegal to remove their mandates
The decision of the Standing Committee of the Parliament to suspend the mandates of about 10 members is considered illegal by those affected, allegedly because it has no legal grounds. They say that they did not take any role in the MDM, as well as they do not have membership cards of that political party.

O País. 1st October, 2009.



ECONOMICS AND DEVELOPMENT



The elderly population will double in 40 years

The elderly population will double over the next forty years in Mozambique, a situation of expanding the base of that age group intervention in productive activities and to promote social stability. Under this positive outlook, the country joins the world today in celebrating the International Day of Older Persons. The ceremonies take place in the central town of Boane, Maputo province, based on the theme "Older Persons and Development: Challenges and Opportunities for Mozambique. In Mozambique, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE), there are approximately 20,534,714 million, of which 1,056,352 are elderly. In the next forty years, according to projections from that agency, the number of elderly will rise to 2,871, 000 people.

Notícias. 1st October, 2009.

http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz/pls/notimz2/getxml/pt/contentx/894314



Infant mortality rate reduces by 15 percent - show results of a survey of Statistics and UNICEF published yesterday

The mortality rate among children under five years of age decreased by 15 percent over the past five years, according to the results of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted by the National Statistics Institute (INE ). This investigation was supported by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and was published yesterday in the city of Maputo.
The survey covered a universe of 14 thousand households nationally and the results were announced at a ceremony witnessed by Health Minister Ivo Garrido, president of INE, Joao Loureiro, UNICEF Representative Leila Pakkala, and other guests.

http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz/pls/notimz2/getxml/pt/contentx/894320



Norway offers 2.3 million USD for the vaccination program in Zambezia
The Royal Norwegian Embassy initialed yesterday in Maputo, with the Foundation for Community Development (FDC), a cooperation agreement under the Expanded Program on Immunization (PAV), conducted by the Ministry of Health and which has the partnership of FDC. The agreement is valued at 2.3 million U.S. dollars. The representative of FDC, Abdul Carimo, explained that the project will be implemented in 17 districts of Zambezia province, and target group is children aged zero to five years and women of reproductive age.

O País. 1st October, 2009


National Institute of Tourism invests 9.2 million dollars in housing
The National Institute of Tourism (INATUR) will invest about $US9M in housing projects in northern, central and southern Mozambique.
The project, says a source, will create 360 jobs and will allow the government to raise 9.7 million Meticais per year in taxes. The source stated further that the project aims to build a total of 60 units of accommodation.

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/pt/sectionnews.php?secao=turismo&id=14199&tipo=one



Company of Coal plans to increase the use of Matola terminal
The South African company, Coal of Africa Limited (Coal), has confirmed it is negotiating with the rail carrier, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), for a public-private partnership involving the Maputo rail corridor. The Coal wants to ensure the availability of the same station port already provided under agreements signed with Grindrod.

The Coal has the capacity to export one million tons of coal through the terminal of Matola. This value could increase to three million tons in 2010. Eventually, this capacity would be 13 million tons a year, through the creation of a new coal terminal at Matola. According to a statement, the TFR and Coal aim to make the Maputo corridor a viable route of exports and an alternative to the Coal Terminal in Richards Bay (RBCT).

http://www.canalmoz.com/default.jsp?file=ver_artigo&nivel=1&id=8&idRec=6442

MDGs may fail in Mozambique

Preliminary results of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), which depicts the situation of women and child in the country, released yesterday by the National Institute of Statistics indicate that our country still has weaknesses in some areas in which the rhythms of growth can contribute to not achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

According to the coordinator of the Demographic and Social Statistics, Fátima Zacarias, the areas of health and education are experiencing a rate that is insufficient to achieve the MDGs.

O País, 1st October, 2009.



HUMAN RIGHTS, JUSTICE AND LEGAL AFFAIRS

Inspection surprising illegal aliens

Sixty-seven foreign citizens have just been surprised by the Labor Inspectorate to carry illegally various activities in different parts of the country. As the consequence, they were suspended and their cases were referred to the services responsible for administrative and legal actions.
A statement from the Ministry of Labor indicates that the detection of these abnormalities occurred during a national inspection campaign in the sectors of Industry, Trade and Construction held across the country for a month.

Notícias. 1st October, 2009.

http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz/pls/notimz2/getxml/pt/contentx/894328


Collaboration



Constancio Nguja – Translation

Constancio Nguja and Delfina Dança – Democracy, Governance and Corruption

Severino de Carvalho – Economics and Development

Delfina Dança – Human Rights, Justice and Development

Celso Gusse – Executive Director of CEMO