The Center for Democracy and Development (CDD) accuses the National Roads Administration (ANE) of withholding information on the concession contract for the Maputo Ring Road to Rede Viária de Moçambique S.A. (REVIMO).

"[The] ANE refused to make available the requested information, basing its decision on the existence of a dispute in the Administrative Court [TA] on the same subject, triggered by the CDD," reads the document we had access to this Thursday.

CDD claims to have submitted to the competent authorities, as well as to ANE, the copies of all documents relating to: "the concession process of the Maputo Circular Road, including the copy of the contract concluded between the Government and the REVIMO company; the process of installing toll stations on the Maputo Circular Road; and the process (with detailed information) of fixing the toll rates to be paid by users of the Maputo Circular Road."

According to the CDD, if such documents exist, "they do not constitute classified matter or state secrets."

The CDD's goal is to find, throughout this process, its legal conformity and with the public interest, considering that it aims to safeguard the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens, who will inevitably have to use the tolls.

On the one hand, CDD wanted the TA to declare illegal and suspend the construction of tolls on the Maputo Ring Road. And on the other, it wants the government to promote a public debate on the need and usefulness of the tolls.

"Another action taken by CDD before the Administrative Court is the injunction that aims to stop the start of charging fares to users of the Maputo Ring Road, from February 1, 2022," one reads.

Among others, the CDD concludes that "there is no legal and fair process about the concession of the Maputo ring road to REVIMO and the corresponding installation of toll stations.

And he questions, "if it exists and obeyed the law, why doesn't it make it available?"