The Political Commission of the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo) today asked the government for ‘urgent’ ‘concrete measures’ to ‘alleviate’ the cost of living in the country, namely by lowering the prices of basic products.
‘The Political Commission proposes that the government take, as a matter of urgency, concrete and effective measures to lower and alleviate the cost of living in the country, focusing primarily on reducing the prices of basic and essential products, goods and services that are indispensable to the subsistence of families,’ reads the meeting’s final communiqué.
‘We believe that this is an urgent commitment to meet the immediate needs of the population,’ adds the communiqué from the 38th ordinary session of that body, which was chaired by Frelimo president Filipe Nyusi, who is also Mozambican President.
Prices in Mozambique rose 0.72 percent in November compared to October, registering year-on-year inflation of 2.84 percent, higher than in October, according to the latest data from the National Statistics Institute (INE).
This is the third consecutive monthly increase, after prices had registered four months of deflation: 0.11% in August, 0.05% in July, 0.21% in June and 0.38% in May.
Year-on-year inflation, which compares with the same month in 2023, was 2.84 per cent in November, compared to 2.68 per cent in October and 2.45 per cent in September.
At the beginning of December, Mozambique’s central bank warned that prices should continue to rise due to the consequences of the post-election tension in the country.
The Economic Situation and Inflation Outlook (CEPI) report indicates that inflation in Mozambique ‘remained stable in October’, despite a slight increase to 2.68 per cent, but ‘the short-term outlook points to an acceleration in annual inflation in the fourth quarter of 2024’.
‘This forecast stems essentially from the restrictions on the supply of goods and services resulting from the post-election tension,’ reads the report.
The announcement by the Mozambican National Electoral Commission (CNE) of the results of the 9 October elections, in which it awarded victory to Daniel Chapo, supported by the Mozambican Liberation Front (Frelimo, the party in power since 1975) in the election for Mozambican President, with 70.67% of the votes, sparked popular protests, called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane.
According to the CNE, Mondlane came second with 20.32%, but the latter does not recognise the results, which still have to be validated and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council.
‘Our projections have already incorporated these risks, these uncertainties,’ said the governor of the Bank of Mozambique.
This wave of protest has been taking place in Mozambique since 21 October, with at least 130 people killed in the demonstrations and economic activities severely restricted, with post-election protests spreading to the country’s main border, Ressano Garcia, with South Africa.
Lusa
