​His Excellency the President of the Republic

Ever since I received the fateful news of the shipwreck on the island of Mozambique that killed more than 90 people, I've had one basic question on my mind: shouldn't His Excellency be in Nampula consoling the families?

This question makes me wonder about the legacy you want to leave the Mozambican people! That of a distant president who doesn't care about the suffering of the people he swore to serve and promised he would employ?

What kind of employee is it who, when his boss has an accident in which more than 90 people lose their lives, doesn't "run" to console his boss? What kind of employee is it who speaks at the same time as the President of Portugal when there is a tragedy like this?

What kind of employee reacts 48 hours later when almost a hundred of his employees disappear "due to the negligence" of his government agents?! Do you remember Article 51 of the Mother Law?

What kind of employee doesn't have the money to hire a plane and go immediately to the scene of the tragedy, but has the money to hire helicopters, planes to inaugurate administrators' houses, courts, public baths and municipal toilets and other trinkets!

Instead of spending money to inaugurate district courts that the Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice, the Secretaries of State, Provincial Governors and District Administrators in addition to the Venerable President of the Supreme Court, the Presiding Judges of the Regional Courts of Appeal, the Presiding Judges of the Provincial and District Judicial Courts of the "owner of the spring of the courts" the Cofre, wouldn't this be a sovereign opportunity for Your Excellency to demonstrate that all Mozambicans fit in your heart?

How does the former President of the Republic Armando Guebuza react 24 hours before the reaction of the Head of State? After all, who has better information about the country, Guebuza or Your Excellency? Who does the District Administrator, Governor, Secretary of State, Minister of Transport, Director of INAMAR, District, Provincial and General Director of SISE give inside information to? Who is SISE's number one client? How is it that the Chief is the last to know, as evidenced by Your Excellency's unacceptably late reaction? Shouldn't the Council of Ministers have already held an emergency meeting and declared a national mourning of at least 5 days?

Shouldn't a Commission of Inquiry have already been set up? Where is the person in charge of criminal prosecution, our PGR at district, provincial and general level? By the way, what is the Prime Minister for in our country? If you were unable to travel to Nampula, shouldn't you have dispatched the Prime Minister?

The fact is that the competent and friendly Minister Magala, whom I respect and hold in high esteem, who was sent to Nampula, bears the brunt of this accident because he is responsible for transport and passenger safety, so our employee cannot be represented by him, at least on this occasion! You don't send someone to the "scene of the crime" who has hierarchical responsibility for the intent or negligence that may have caused the tragedy!

Your Excellency, what are the Secretaries of State, Provincial Governors and SISE directors for?

Your Excellency, if you're already tired, you'd better get some rest! If you had chosen your successor at last week's Central Committee meeting, you would have found time to go to Lumbo! But since you postponed it and want to control the process, you're tied to Maputo and can't afford to do it expeditiously!

Postponing decisions, Excia, has its price! And Excia, this will not be the last tragedy of your government! The next few days could be complicated!

Please get rid of that weight and go rest in peace! We love you! You've done your bit, leave the rest to others!

Sorry to vent, Chief! The absence of the State and the inefficiency of government action hurts! During your time in office, Excia, our country has become a marker state! Drugs are picked up on every street corner! The war in Cabo Delgado began during your consulate! The hidden debts began when you were in charge of defense! What have we done to you? Please go, go, go...!

Our coast is wide open! In January I went to Angoche and what I saw frightens every living soul!

There are things you can't delegate, Your Excellency!

He didn't say any more,

Manuel de Araújo.