Albino Forquilha, president of Podemos — Mozambique’s second-largest political party — has called for far-reaching political reforms, arguing that decentralisation, state restructuring, citizen participation, and electoral justice must all be comprehensively addressed within the framework of the National Inclusive Dialogue, according to the Mozambique Information Agency (AIM).
The position was advanced on Tuesday, 8 September, in Maputo, during a training session for Podemos parliamentarians at the Assembleia da República covering matters related to the National Inclusive Dialogue and Local Government. The two-day initiative, running from 8 to 9 September, is designed to prepare party representatives to engage in discussions on structural state reforms, including issues of a constitutional, electoral, and local governance nature.
“The fundamental objective is that we achieve deep reforms at the level of precise matters of the state, so that existing problems can find a solution,” Forquilha said, also advocating for a clearer separation between the public administration and political parties. In his view, access to public office should be determined primarily by citizens’ competence, not their party affiliation.
“We still have, unfortunately, situations in which, to be the pedagogical director of a school, it is necessary to belong to a political party. To be a director or commander of a police station, it is also necessary to belong to a political party. But that already concerns the public administration. It should no longer be this way. These aspects must be dealt with in depth, because that is where, in fact, the essence of all the problems we have lies,” he said.
Forquilha further argued that decentralisation and the strengthening of citizen participation must occupy a central place in the dialogue process, in order to deliver lasting solutions to the country’s challenges.
On the judicial proceedings involving Venâncio Mondlane, the Podemos president announced that he will appear before the court as a witness. “I will be present as a declarant, to say what I saw,” he stated. The party leader also called for full respect and compliance with any decisions handed down by the tribunal in cases related to the post-electoral demonstrations.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=538245
