Senga was the community that provided land for the construction of Quitunda, the resettlement village built from scratch as part of the Mozambique LNG project. The new road represents an investment of $2.6 million and strengthens mobility, inclusion, and hope for hundreds of resettled families.
About two kilometers of paved road may seem little at first glance, but for the communities of Quitunda, Senga, Patacua, and Mangala in Palma district, this route represents much more than just a new means of mobility: it reinforces community connections, social ties, and commercial exchanges.
Last Saturday, September 6, Diário Económico witnessed the inauguration of the Quitunda–Senga road, financed by the Mozambique LNG project, operated by TotalEnergies.
The ceremony was attended by the governor of Cabo Delgado province, Valige Tauabo, and the CEO of TotalEnergies Mozambique, Maxime Rabilloud. In his speech, the governor greeted the population and emphasized that “even though gas exploitation, the main activity of the Mozambique LNG project, has not yet started, some signs of hope for our future are already visible.”
According to Tauabo, the new infrastructure “will bring enormous benefits to the lives of the communities, as it will improve road accessibility and, consequently, speed up the flow of products, goods, and services.”
With a length of 1.7 kilometers and a width of six meters, the new road represents an investment of 175 million meticais (approximately $2.6 million). During construction, 169 local workers were hired, including 36 women, from different communities in Palma district.
For Maxime Rabilloud, who spoke fluent Portuguese, “this new road represents more than that; it is a connection between us. We want and will continue to work to generate more well-being and benefits for the people of Palma,” adding, “I feel like a citizen of Cabo Delgado.”
At the end of the ceremony, the governor traveled part of the new road aboard one of the more than 600 popular tuk-tuks provided by TotalEnergies to the communities, ensuring transport between Quitunda and Senga, in a symbolic gesture supporting community mobility. The moment was warmly applauded by attendees and highlighted the practical usefulness of the new infrastructure.
Community Values Direct Impact
Diário Económico heard several community members on the impact of the new road. Saíde Ali Mussa, a tuk-tuk driver, said that “before, it took us almost an hour to reach Palma town due to the potholes. Now it takes twenty minutes.”
Halima Ussene, a community moderator in Patacua, reinforced this idea. “Before, transporting a pregnant woman was a struggle. Today, we can go back and forth quickly and safely.”
Hawa Ali Jamal from Mangala village shared that “the road has brought peace. People feel connected to their lands again.”
Electrification and Energy Access: Next Step
During the event, the first stone was also laid for the electrification project in Senga and Patacua villages. According to Silvio Romeu, project manager at Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM), the initiative plans the installation of seven kilometers of medium-voltage lines, 12 kilometers of low-voltage lines, and six transformer stations.
“In the first phase, 1,050 families are expected to be connected,” he explained, adding that the project will have a 12-month execution period and represents an investment of 45 million meticais (approximately $692,000).
Quitunda: Resettlement with Integrated Planning
As part of the Mozambique LNG project, TotalEnergies has already built 657 new homes and a complete set of public infrastructure in Quitunda village, intended for families resettled under the gas project in the Afungi peninsula.
In a complex process, sometimes contested by some civil society organizations, the Mozambique LNG project has resettled all eligible families with the right to a home in Quitunda.
To date, 643 families have received their homes, within a resettlement process that involved, according to the company, more than 800 formal consultations with communities, authorities, and other stakeholders.
Complementary initiatives are being implemented to enhance the quality of life and economic autonomy of resettled families:
- Installation of solar panels in all homes in Quitunda village;
- Construction of new roads to facilitate access between fishing, agricultural areas, and markets;
- Distribution of autonomous mobility means for community use;
- Agricultural and livestock programs, including seed distribution, tools, technical assistance, livestock replenishment, and post-harvest improvement;
- Support for fishing activities, including provision of boats and fishing equipment, as well as training and post-capture assistance;
- Promotion of local employment, skills development, and encouragement of entrepreneurship to diversify income sources.
It is noted that the Mozambique LNG project is currently under force majeure, but in public statements, TotalEnergies has expressed its intention to resume the project later this year.
Text: Felisberto Ruco
