Mozambican President Daniel Chapo announced that planned reforms to the country’s decentralization laws are expected to save more than 1.25 billion meticais (€16.7 million) per year, while also boosting provincial development.
Speaking in Maputo during the opening of the fifth ordinary session of the Central Committee of FRELIMO, Chapo said the savings would be redirected to priority sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, and social protection.
The president emphasized that the reforms are part of a broader effort to streamline governance and improve efficiency by eliminating overlapping administrative structures. According to him, the changes will clarify the roles of provincial state bodies and decentralized governance entities.
Under the proposed model, eight provincial state representation services will be abolished, with their responsibilities transferred to provincial executive councils led by governors. The secretary of state at the provincial level will instead be supported by a smaller advisory council, focusing mainly on coordinating and supervising central government functions.
Read more: Mozambique: President pushes overhaul of provincial governance laws
Chapo said the reforms aim to give “real substance” to decentralization, promoting more participatory and democratic governance while accelerating sustainable development across the country’s provinces.
He also stressed the need for prudent resource management, noting that Mozambique faces financial constraints and must optimize limited resources without compromising institutional effectiveness.
The legislative proposals, initially introduced in 2019, are now being fast-tracked for approval as part of the government’s commitment to restructuring provincial governance.
