Center For Mozambican and International Studies

NEWS SUMMARY. 25TH NOVEMBER, 2009.


DEMOCRACY, GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION

Former RENAMO guerrillas did not follow orders of their commander

A group of former RENAMO guerrillas in Mwanza, Sofala province, has refused to follow orders allegedly given by the Secretary-General of that former rebel movement, Ossufo Momade, to trigger actions for preventing the Sena line, placing obstacles for that railway. This position is in response to the decision of making a demonstration in protest over the election results on 28 October, taken at the meeting of the RENAMO Political Commission, held last week in Nampula.
http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz/pls/notimz2/getxml/pt/contentx/923566


RENAMO will no longer call for demonstration

RENAMO withdrew the request for demonstration that had made to the government in protest against the election results, where Armando Guebuza and FRELIMO won. The source did not reveal the reasons for the withdrawal.
O Pais. 25th November, 2009.


Exclusion of candidates of the Opposition is not good sign for democracy in Mozambique – says future U.S. ambassador to Mozambique

At a meeting last week chaired by Senator Russ Feingold, the future U.S. Ambassador to Maputo, Leslie Rowe, stressed the support of the United States for the democratic process in Mozambique, but referring to the elections of 28 October, noted that "although elections have been peaceful, the exclusion of many opposition candidates of the election, based on alleged technical issues, is not a good sign for the development of multi-party democracy in Mozambique".
http://www.canalmoz.com/default.jsp?file=ver_artigo&nivel=0&id=&idRec=6787


Mozambican miners accuse WENELA of corruption

The Mozambican workers in gold mines in South Africa accused WENELA of corruption. It is an institution that deals with the procurement procedures of the labor force from Mozambique to work in that country. According to the workers, to receive their salaries, they are charged prices ranging from 5 to 10 thousand Meticais by officials of WENELA, without a clear argument on the fate of the values.
Reacting to these charges, one of the officials of WENELA, Inacio Zandamela, said the miners' complaints are unfounded, and above all based on ignorance, as they have no knowledge about the bureaucratic processes of the Mozambican state.
O Pais. 24th November, 2009


Oldemiro Baloi at Commonwealth Summit

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Oldemiro Baloi, will participate from 27 to 29 November, in the 50th Summit of the Commonwealth, representing the Head of State, Armando Guebuza. The summit will be held in Trinidad and Tobago. Among other issues, the participants will discuss the financial and economic crisis and the climate change. They will also evaluate the cooperation between member states of the organization.
O Pais. 24th November, 2009



ECONOMICS AND DEVELOPMENT

There are medications out of control

According to Minister of Health, Paulo Ivo Garrido, unregistered and illegal medicines still circulate in Mozambique. This is due to the persistence to sale of drugs by persons not licensed for this purpose, especially in the informal sector. This leads to the non-rational use of drugs. http://www.rm.co.mz


Environmental Assessment on the dam of Nacala to start December

The start of the environmental study for the rehabilitation and expansion of the dam that supplies water to the city of Nacala is scheduled for next December. This action is part of a project to be funded by the Millennium Challenge Account. The objective is to increase the water supply for about 300 thousand inhabitants of that city.
http://www.verdade.co.mz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7061:arranca-avaliacao-ambiental-sobre-a-barragem-de-nacala&catid=45:ambiente&Itemid=64


Fisheries enforcement

The Ministry of Fisheries acknowledges the inability of the state in control of fishing activity, which is why many foreign vessels have been plundering the country seafood. This situation arises because the country does not have vessels for surveillance. Every year the country spends US$2M in rental of boats for surveillance. But it should be noted that Mozambique earned US$330M with exports of fish, whose global production reached 394 thousand tons between 2005 and 2008.
http://www.tim.co.mz/por/Noticias/Nacional/Fiscalizacao-pesqueira


EU boosts aid for electricity expansion in the country

The European Commission, through its fund for foreign aid, will drain funds for the expansion of the electricity in the most remote regions of the country. The amount was not specified. This is due to the success of Mozambique in implementing the project of electrification recorded in the last five years. However, there is much to be done with enormous challenges to overcome. http://www.opais.co.mz/opais/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3307:ue-aumenta-ajuda-de-expansao-electrica-no-pais&catid=45:sociedade&Itemid=176



HUMAN RIGHTS, JUSTICE AND LEGAL AFFAIRS

Maputo heads list of cases of rape of teenage

From 2005 to 2008, the Office for Assistance to Women and Children Victims of Domestic Violence of the Police of Mozambique (PRM), recorded 912 cases of rape of teenage girls, against 99 and 53 of Inhambane and Gaza, respectively. The city of Maputo is appearing with more cases, accumulating a total of 643, followed by the respective province, with 269. Maria Soupinho, Head of Office at PRM, believes that this scenario is even worsening because there are cases that are not reported.
O Pais. 24th November, 2009


Governments should improve budgets for children - say civil society organizations

The non-governmental organizations working to protect children's rights within the Community of the Southern African Development (SADC) defend the need for their governments to increase budgets for children as a way to contribute to improving their welfare. This information was given during the first regional meeting on the matter, taking place since yesterday in Maputo, organized by the Children's Network, in partnership with ANSA - Africa, a continental organization based in Pretoria, South Africa.
http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz/pls/notimz2/getxml/pt/contentx/923570


COLLABORATION

Constâncio Nguja – Translation
Constâncio Nguja and Delfina Dança – Democracy, Governance and Corruption
Saite Junior – Economics and Development
Delfina Dança – Human Rights, Justice and Legal Affairs
Raul Chambote – Executive Director of CEMO