The Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) called, this morning, an emergency meeting with the associations of carriers of passengers of the cities of Maputo and Matola due to the paralysis of activity, which began in the early hours of the day.

According to last minute information, it was decided at the meeting that the current public transport prices will remain unchanged for at least a six-month period. There will be a subsidy for transporters for a period of six months, assured the president of the Mozambican Federation of Road Associations (Fematro).

"We must continue to transport our people and the state will supplement this value that would be added to the passenger fare," said Castigo Nhamane, minutes after the meeting at the MTC with the portfolio holder, Mateus Magala.

The transporters said that the seven meticais increase in the transport fare would be ideal for the sustainability of the business, however, before the last update of fuel prices. But with the current scenario the proposal should be different, according to the president of Fematro.

In this sense "after this subsidy ends, the government will also say something. But at this moment we are guaranteeing the return of the 'chapa' buses and mini-buses to the road and to continue charging the current fare. This is the guarantee that we are giving to our fellow citizens and passengers", said Nhamane, assuring that even today the transport of passengers will return to circulate "normally".

This morning, before the meeting, Castigo Nhamane told national television channels that the MTC had sent for them to address the situation.

Nhamane took the opportunity to distance Fematro from this strike, although buses registered there are also paralyzed.

This year alone the price of fuel has risen three times, about 27 meticias per liter of diesel. The latest readjustment went into effect last Saturday (02), after an announcement made, on Friday (01), by the Energy Regulatory Authority (Arene).

Gasoline went up from 83.30 meticais per liter to 86.97 meticais and diesel went from 78.97 meticais to 87.97 meticais per liter. Cooking gas registered the biggest increase, going from 85.53 to 102.2 meticais per kilo, up 19.5%.

Vehicle gas increased from 40.57 to 43.73 meticais and lamp oil rose from 71.48 meticais to 75.58 meticais per liter.