The Maputo city municipality has announced plans to revise the solid waste policy, which has been in place for over 20 years. According to the local government, the new fee will be applied based on each citizen’s energy consumption, emphasizing that the measure aims to modernize the legal framework, strengthen environmental management, and introduce a fairer and more proportionate billing system aligned with residents’ economic capacities.
According to the Councillor for Infrastructure and Sanitation, João Munguambe, the revision is based on two main pillars: the first is the promotion of a circular economy, with incentives for waste separation at source and the reuse of recyclable materials. “The second is the transformation of the household waste fee system, replacing fixed tiers with a percentage model based on electricity consumption.”
“The current model primarily penalizes low-income consumers. At present, those who consume up to 200 meticais in energy pay a fixed fee of 45 meticais. For the municipality, this amount drastically reduces low-income families’ access to energy,” said Munguambe, quoted in a report by the Mozambican News Agency.
In his remarks, the councillor highlighted that studies show waste volume is directly linked to consumption power. “Residents with lower incomes produce, on average, less than 0.5 kilograms of waste per day, while higher energy consumers reach around 1.5 kilograms,” he explained.
“The monthly cost of waste management is close to 50 million meticais, while the household fee generates only 15 million. The municipality aims to reduce the operational deficit of 30 million, hoping that the system will gradually become self-sustainable,” he added. Munguambe acknowledged that the change will not produce immediate results, as “success will depend on public engagement, process organization, and collective adaptation capacity,” emphasizing that the proposed revision will be submitted for public debate before approval and implementation.
Source: Diário Económico
