The Mozambican government is preparing a legislative revision aimed at reducing the powers of provincial Secretaries of State in order to avoid duplication of administrative and management functions with local executive bodies, according to Lusa news agency.
The information was shared by Cândida Maloane, National Director of Local Administration, who explained that the goal is to streamline the administrative structure and ensure that the role of the Secretary of State does not interfere with the responsibilities of provincial governors.
“This revision is precisely aimed at rationalizing the framework and all related laws. The Secretary of State’s structure may be reduced,” she stated in Maputo.
The director also emphasized that the process will adjust the institutional model to ensure State representation in the provinces without creating parallel structures that compete with the elected executive bodies.
A key issue under review is the redefinition of budget management responsibilities and the financial autonomy of provincial executive councils, whose current budgetary structure remains unclear in the legal framework.
“Although the State Budget has a specific chapter for municipalities, this is not the case for decentralized bodies, which lack the means to independently decide how funds are used,” said Maloane, noting the need to clarify revenue transfer mechanisms and the legal foundation for financial autonomy.
On the matter, the Minister of State Administration and Civil Service, Inocêncio Impissa, stressed that the success of the decentralization process depends on coordination between different levels of government, highlighting that
“Each entity must act in an integrated way to respond to both local and national challenges.”
The debate around the decentralized governance model regained momentum on July 23, with the Centre for Public Integrity (CIP) presenting two reform proposals:
- one suggesting adjustments and improvements within the current structure,
- the other advocating for a deeper overhaul with a redistribution of powers and resources.
Additionally, the Commission for Reflection on the Decentralization Model (CREMOD) recently submitted its final report to the government, which outlines four different models of decentralized governance. The contents of this report have not yet been made public.
Source: Diário Económico
