Mozambican prime minister Benvinda Levi today called on parliament to denounce those diverting goods intended to support flood victims, saying those responsible must be brought to justice and held accountable.
“From this podium, we repudiate and condemn all types of behaviour, acts and practices that result in the diversion of humanitarian assistance destined for victims of natural disasters,” said prime minister Maria Benvinda Levi, addressing the Assembly of the Republic in Maputo.
“We appeal to all of society to remain vigilant and to report these types of practices to the competent authorities so that those responsible are judged and exemplarily convicted,” she added, as cases of this kind have come to light in the country, including in connection with aid received in response to January’s floods.
Due to the rains and flooding, the government declared a red alert in January — a measure the prime minister said allowed for more flexible and centralised coordination of the immediate disaster response, reinforced the functioning of the natural disaster management system, and enabled the pre-positioning of rescue resources and the provision of humanitarian assistance in food and non-food items.
She added that the government is finalizing the Post-Flood Reconstruction Plan 2026, which aims to ensure the recovery of productive capacity, the definitive and resilient reconstruction of destroyed economic and social infrastructure, and the restoration of livelihoods.
January’s floods and inundations were of “great magnitude,” reaching regions that had never previously been affected by such phenomena. The government acknowledged concern that some people had not heeded official warnings, and proceeded with compulsory evacuations in high-risk areas.
Read more: Floods: Mozambique extends heavy rain warning from the south to the center of the country
The government, she said, is reinforcing the mapping of disaster-prone zones and the resettlement of populations in safer areas, while advancing the construction of climate-resilient infrastructure — including public buildings, roads, bridges, power transmission lines and water supply systems — as well as the rehabilitation and construction of dams, reservoirs, dykes and drainage systems.
“Regarding strategic hydraulic infrastructure, we have been mobilising investment from the public and private sectors, as well as encouraging the establishment of public-private partnerships to ensure the construction of the Moamba Major dam on the Incomáti river, Mapai on the Limpopo river and Revúbuè on the Zambeze river, as well as the construction of protection systems and dykes in Chókwè, Xai-Xai, Ilha Josina Machel, Nova Mambone, Caia, Marromeu and Nante,” said Maria Benvinda Levi.
At least 10 public officials — including former Xai-Xai district administrator Argelência Chissano — were detained last week for diverting flood relief donations, local authorities announced at the end of February.
Following the reports, search warrants were executed at several residences in Xai-Xai city and Chibuto district, where various goods were seized, including 218 mattresses, 41 bales of used clothing, 63 sacks of maize flour, 20 sacks of 25-kilogram rice, three boxes of two-litre vegetable oil and two 50-kilogram sacks of butter beans.
Read more about this topic: Mozambique: President calls for criminal accountability in diversion of floods relief funds
Mozambique has already received 1.3 billion meticais (€17.5 million) and 6,700 tonnes of various goods to support flood victims, the government announced on Tuesday. The death toll in the current rainy season has reached 270, with nearly 870,000 people affected since October, according to the latest update from the disaster management institute.
