The political debate in Mozambique has recently been dominated by the holding of elections for district assemblies, with suggestions that the government and Renamo should renegotiate this clause of the parties' agreement on decentralization.

But for Renamo, there is no negotiation possible, "what is written, is written.

The 2019 Maputo agreement between the government and Renamo stipulates that elections for district assemblies should be held in 2024, in the context of decentralization, but some analysts say it is essential to make a deep reflection on what is actually intended with this decentralization process.

Analyst Ismael Mussá says that the country has already moved forward with the provincial decentralization model that is having difficulties, with overlapping structures, namely governors and secretaries of state.

"What we have to do is how to improve this model of decentralization so that it doesn't transfer to the districts with the same flaws, postponing the district elections at this stage and increasing the number of municipalities," the analyst told VOA.

Embarrassment

Analyst Ilídio de Sousa says that the elections for district assemblies may create a constitutional embarrassment, in the sense that they will empty the provinces, because having districts with electoral and governing autonomy means that these districts will not be governed by provincial policies.

He noted that "what will happen is that we will no longer have one province, and that will mess with the Constitution, because the provinces will be empty, with governors and secretaries of state who won't have jobs."

According to that analyst, this will happen because "districts and cities will have their respective plans beyond the financial constraints for holding the district-level elections themselves."

De Sousa argues that the government and Renamo should renegotiate the Maputo agreement's clause on decentralization, especially the one referring to district assemblies, "so that the will of the Mozambicans can be done, which is good governance.

Reflection

For his part, the analyst Hilário Chacate, also defends a deep reflection on the subject, including a possible renegotiation of the Maputo agreement, "because I don't think that we have, at this moment, conditions for holding district elections.

However, for Renamo secretary general André Magibiri, there is no negotiation possible, because "it is foreseen in the Constitution of the Republic that elections for district assemblies must take place in 2024.

The President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi, once again defended the need for reflection on district elections, in a meeting last week in Nampula, with governors, administrators and presidents of municipal councils.