IT’S VERY BAD

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), a Mozambican civil society organisation, has strongly condemned threats to freedom of the press made against ‘Carta de Moçambique’ newssheet by Julião João Cumbane, the chairman of the National Company of Science and Technology Parks, on his personal Facebook account, following the publication of reports related to the military attacks in the province of Cabo Delgado.

In a post published on his Facebook account last Tuesday, Julião Cumbane urged the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Defence of Mozambique (FADM), the General Command of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) and the State Security and Information Service (SISE) to combine “intelligence and energetic actions – even extra-judicial ones – against the pessimistic ‘news’ demoralising the Defence and Security Forces fighting the attacks by power of attorney in northern and central parts of Mozambique.”

In his post, the academic, who in May 2019 accused former president Armando Emílio de Guebuza, via the same social network, of “sponsoring” attacks Cabo Delgado, says that people who “sell information to Marcelo Mosse (editor of the newssheet) or to his newspaper, Carta de Moçambique, about what is going on in the north of Cabo Delgado, are not patriots” and that the “brincadeira [fooling around] to earn money at the expense of the suffering of a people should not be allowed or tolerated’.

“To say this is not to be against informing the people about the attacks that occur in the north or centre of this country. Far from it. I am indeed against the miserable portrait that is given to us by such people, via ‘Carta de Moçambique’. IT’S VERY BAD because it demoralises those who have the DUTY to defend the Motherland, and it glorifies the country’s attackers,” says Cumbane in his comeback to the ‘big stages’ since his appointment [to Maulane] in November 2019.

According to the CDD, the government “should not continue to ignore the behaviour of a public servant who has a huge disregard for the Democratic Rule of Law” and who “shows a problematic understanding of democracy”.

In its press release, to which ‘Carta’ had access on Thursday afternoon, the organisation led by Adriano sympathises with the ‘Carta de Moçambique’ journalists, whom it encourages to continue to inform Mozambicans and the world in general about the attacks in Cabo Delgado and challenges the state agencies responsible for ensuring the independence of the media to publicly condemn threats to silence journalists through “extra-judicial” means.

“The same challenge also goes to the Defence and Security Forces, in the sense of separating themselves from any acts that violate the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens,” Nuvunga says.

In the two-page document, the CDD recalls that this is not the first time that Julião Cumbane has launched a foray against the freedoms of expression and information. In August 2018, two lawyers and members of Frelimo, Teodoro Waty and Teodato Hunguana, were victims of threats to their physical integrity by Julião Cumbane.

“The two reputable law experts were threatened simply because, in separate opinion articles, they challenged the CNE decisions that removed the candidacies of Venâncio Mondlane (for Renamo) and Samora Machel Jr. (for AJUDEM) from the municipal elections in Maputo City,” the CDD observes, emphasising that those targeted ( Waty and Hunguana) wrote to the Attorney General requesting her intervention, but to no avail.

“This behaviour increases the conviction that those responsible for the murder, abduction and torture of activists, academics and journalists have the protection of the State,” CDD Moçambique adds.

In addition to social media, Cumbane has been noticeable in public debate defending government policies and the actions of Frelimo with ‘tooth and claw’, and in a tone of hatred towards those expressing contrary opinions. He has been PCA of the National Company of Science and Technology Parks since November last year.

USAID and Total sign memorandum on health

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Wednesday (February 12) signed a memorandum of understanding with the French multinational company Total, under which, according to a USAID press release, both organisations agreed to invest five million US dollars each “to promote improved community health outcomes, prevent child marriage, and encourage positive youth development in Cabo Delgado province”. 

At the ceremony, in the Cabo Delgado provincial capital, Pemba, the US government was represented by Ambassador Dennis Hearne, while Total was represented by its Vice President and Mozambique Country Manager Ronan Bescond. Also attending the event were the Cabo Delgado provincial governor, Valige Tauabo, and the Mayor of Pemba, Florete Motarrua.Last year Total purchased all the African assets that once belonged to the US oil and gas company Anadarko. Foremost among these was Anadarko’s holding in Offshore Area One of the Rovuma Basin, off the Cabo Delgado coast, where enormous natural gas reserves have been discovered.

Total has thus taken over from Anadarko as the operator in Area One, and so heads the consortium developing the Mozambique LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) project, which plans to built two gas liquefaction plants on the Afungi Peninsula in Palma district. USAID claims that its partnership with Total “will address many of the challenges faced by women and girls in Cabo Delgado Province”, notably the shockingly high rate of child marriage. The release points out that “while the child marriage rate in Mozambique is already among the highest in the world, Cabo Delgado, at 61%, has the highest child marriage rate of any province for girls under 18 years of age”

“Marrying young and having children as adolescents endangers girls’ health and robs them of the opportunity to go to school”, the release continues. “The long-term consequences can be devastating for women, for their families, and for the nation’s development”. Hearne stressed the commitment made by the Mozambican and US Governments and Total to address these problems together, saying, “Cabo Delgado needs youth who are healthy, empowered and full of hope for the future.” He claimed this partnership offers “an example of how the public and private sector can work together to tackle the difficult challenges facing the people of Cabo Delgado.”

For his part, Bescond said, “We are pleased to establish this partnership with USAID, which will strengthen our actions to support community health in the districts of Mocímboa da Praia and Palma. As a responsible employer, we consider health to be a priority. In all of our host countries, we are firmly committed to contributing to the health and well-being of our employees and their families and, by extension, local communities.” “We believe that by joining our efforts with the Mozambican Government and USAID to develop community health, education and the creation of economic and social opportunities for young women and girls, we are working on youth inclusion and contributing to Mozambique’s sustainable development,” he added.

Malawians deported

Immigration authorities in Mozambique have deported 23 Malawian nationals who boarded a lorry on their way to South Africa. Confirming the development to Malawi24 was Mwanza border public relations officer, Pasqually Zulu, who said the group arrived in the country on Saturday, February 15th, 2020.

Some of the deported Malawians

Zulu said 21 men and 2 women were arrested in Chimoio, Beira province for being found in a cargo van whilst in transit to the rainbow nation which is contrary to the laws of the land.

The publicist further said among the group, one of the deportees had no traveling document a development which fueled the deportation. Malawian deportees were in custody for close to a week until Saturday when they were released and sent back to Malawi by the Mozambican authorities. Meanwhile, they have all been released upon being advised on the need to use certified buses and during verification exercise, it has been noted that Mangochi and Machinga districts dominated. The development comes after several efforts by the department of Immigration and Citizenship Services’ efforts in sensitising the general public on the need to use proper channel whenever they want to pass leave the country.