The government announced on Tuesday (6) that it will resume charging road tolls across the country from 15 May, but with a significant reduction in rates, which could reach 60%, following protests and acts of vandalism in recent months on various infrastructure.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, of the 41 tolls in the country, 25 remain suspended after being destroyed during protests related to the post-election cycle. The vandalism included the destruction of offices, sabotage of gates and damage to collection systems.
‘Even those that are functioning are operating in a limited manner, with motorists persisting in causing disorder in order to continue passing through without paying the fees due,’ the official statement said.
The demonstrations followed the 2024 general elections, the results of which were rejected by the opposition led by Venâncio Mondlane. Since then, there have been acts of popular protest, strikes and road blockades, especially in urban and peri-urban areas, focusing on infrastructure such as bridges, tolls and transport stations.
In view of the social pressure and economic impact of the protests, the Executive has decided to implement ‘extraordinary measures with immediate impact’ to alleviate the cost of living and facilitate the resumption of economic activities. These measures include a review of toll rates, especially for public transport and residents in areas adjacent to the affected infrastructure.
For example, the toll on the Maputo-Katembe bridge for class 1 vehicles will be reduced from 125 to 100 meticals, while for semi-collective passenger transport in Maputo, the rate will be reduced from 15 to 5 meticals, precisely at the points where there has been the most tension and protests.
According to the government, the decision aims to ‘alleviate the operating costs of public passenger transport service providers in the urban and interprovincial segments, as well as citizens who regularly use tolls.’
Nevertheless, the Executive stressed that toll payments are crucial for the maintenance of the national road network, representing around 20% of internal sources of road funding. The ‘user-pays’ model remains a structural principle, although subject to adjustments in times of crisis.
The protests followed the 2024 general elections, the results of which were rejected by the opposition led by Venâncio Mondlane.
Revimo, the concessionaire responsible for the construction, maintenance and operation of several roads, had already announced in January its intention to resume toll collection, which triggered new protests, including episodes of occupation and blocking of access to the Katembe bridge by demonstrators opposed to the resumption of toll collection.
On the political front, Mozambique has been experiencing great social tension since October, when Venâncio Mondlane rejected the election results that gave victory to Daniel Chapo, the current Mozambican President. According to Plataforma Decide, around 400 people have died since the protests began, including two dozen minors.
Despite a commitment to end the violence made between Chapo and Mondlane in March, the atmosphere of instability persists in various parts of the country. The reduction in tolls is therefore part of the government’s strategy to restore public confidence and gradually normalise traffic on national roads.
Lusa
