The Assembly of the Republic approved on Thursday (November 20), with votes exclusively from the majority Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo) parliamentary group, the 2024 State General Account (CGE), despite the outright rejection from the three opposition parties, who cited serious irregularities and lack of transparency in public finance management.
According to Lusa, the vote, marked by intense debates, took place in a highly contested environment, with opposition parties basing their “no” votes on the report and opinion of the Administrative Court (TA), which identified several “discrepancies” in the documentation presented by the Government, undermining the credibility of budget execution.
The party Podemos, the main opposition force, accused the Government of persistent corruption and negligence in managing public funds, denouncing the acquisition of unregistered assets and the misappropriation of funds. “What the TA reveals to us is serious. The CGE is full of irregularities and violations of laws and regulations governing public finance and administration, such as systematic diversion and misuse of public money—which is the people’s money disappearing without a trace—while hospitals lack medicines and schools lack desks,” stated Deputy Ivandro Massingue.
The Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) also disapproved of the account, highlighting the main concern as the absence of clear criteria in managing the Mozambique Sovereign Fund. “Funds are not channeled to the communities where resources are exploited, and moreover, resources remain concentrated centrally, with 75% of the budget executed at the central level,” said Deputy Gania Mussagy, arguing that this practice contradicts the principles of financial decentralization.
Meanwhile, the Mozambican Democratic Movement (MDM) considered the CGE “an affront to the law” and accused the Government of excessive domestic borrowing to fund unnecessary expenses and feed corruption networks. Parliamentarian Judite Macuacua emphasized that “the TA report and opinion point out discrepancies and irregularities that make the document unreliable,” criticizing the Government for systematically ignoring recommendations from both the Assembly of the Republic and the TA itself.
Frelimo, the only party to vote in favor of the resolution, argued that the account was prepared in accordance with the law, containing structured information and clear financial statements. “We voted in favor because, despite 2024 being marked by internal and external shocks and persistent terrorist actions, inflation was contained, the metical remained relatively stable, and economic activity showed moderate growth,” justified Deputy Ivan Matavele, highlighting progress in education, health, and social protection.
At the conclusion of the debate, Prime Minister Maria Benvinda Levi promised to reinforce compliance with the Administrative Court’s recommendations, particularly in improving tax revenue collection, rationalizing public spending, and controlling financial management. “We will strengthen and intensify audits, tax inspections, and invoicing processes, and we will continue formalizing the informal sector of our economy,” she stated.
The Administrative Court report, which served as the main argument for the opposition’s “no” vote, noted obstacles in analyzing the CGE due to inconsistencies in the financial statements presented, prompting the court to issue its opinion with reservations.
Source: Diário Económico
