12 months to agree on the course

The delegations of government and Renamo, the main opposition party in Mozambique, signed today in Maputo, the Declaration of Principles on Despartidarização Public Administration, an act that marked the culmination of the consensus reached around this matter between the parties.The statement, initialed by the heads of the two delegations on political dialogue, José Pacheco and Saimone Macuiana respectively establishes some additional measures to eliminate what the parties consider to "perceptions of partisanship of the state."Thus, the document advocates the introduction of a contract system and its publication in all the main stage (seed, nominations, jury presentation, selection and announcement of the results) to the provincial and district permanent secretaries, heads of administrative posts and presidents of the localities and villages.

The same procedure is extended to \ chairmen of the boards of directors of public companies or subsidiaries by the State Board of presidents or general managers of public funds. In light of the Declaration, it is prohibited by the discount deducted at source from salaries of employees and agents for any purpose except as provided in the law, as well as active participation in political party activities of rectors of public universities and public managers, employees and agents of the state during normal business hours. In the workplace, according to the document to be submitted to parliament, the Assembly of the Republic (AR), the civil servant should not promote the partisan political activities, a ban which also covers the magistrates, ambassadors and members of the Forces Defence and Security.Advocates further strengthening recognition arrangements of the holders of traditional authorities by the State in accordance with customary law and that its legitimacy only observes the family line.

The document also proposes a review of the functions, powers, organization and functioning of the Superior Council for the Media, as well as establishment of a monitoring committee of the State despartidarização to be created by Parliament and which will be composed of government representatives, political parties parliamentary seat and civil society.