The President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, announced this Thursday, July 24th, the intention to build the future headquarters of the National Parliament in the city of Mocuba, located in Zambézia province, in the central region of the country. The initiative is part of ongoing efforts toward governmental decentralization and the functional redistribution of public institutions, in an attempt to promote greater territorial balance and inclusion in national development, according to the Lusa news agency.
“Mocuba was chosen not only for its strategic geographical location, but also for its symbolic significance. It is where paths cross and the country embraces itself — the meeting point of the North, Centre, and South of Mozambique. For this reason, it makes perfect sense for it to be the place where major national decisions are made,” said Daniel Chapo, as quoted in a presidential statement released following a public rally held in the city.
According to the Head of State, the ongoing decentralization process must go beyond the mere delegation of administrative powers — it must also be “geostrategic, functional, and symbolic.” The proposal aims to tackle excessive centralism, reduce regional inequalities, and strengthen national cohesion. The project envisions the creation of a parliamentary citadel equipped with infrastructure to host the Assembly of the Republic, working offices, legislative research centers, session halls, residential areas for members of parliament and staff, as well as spaces for engagement with civil society and digital platforms designed to promote participatory democracy.
According to the statement, the project is still in the preliminary design phase and will be implemented in stages, through public-private partnerships. The plan also includes the construction of a National Institute of Parliamentary Studies, aimed at strengthening legislative capacity and bringing the parliamentary institution closer to the population. Justifying the functional decentralization, the President argued that “each province should host a specific national function, aligned with its historical, economic, cultural, or geographical profile.” This approach, according to the President, would help decongest the capital, Maputo, stimulate regional growth, and consolidate a plural and interconnected national identity.
“By assigning each province a specific purpose, we are building a more balanced, more efficient, and fairer Mozambique,” he stated.
Source: Diário Económico
