Mozambique court overturns order to demolish Quelimane cycling infrastructure

The project was funded through an international competition by the Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure, which awarded US$400,000 (€345,000 at current exchange rates) to implement urban mobility infrastructure and improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians in Quelimane after the city was recognised as Africa’s leading cycling city. The court annulled the order because the Prosecutor’s Office had based its decision on provisions that the judges considered inapplicable to the construction of cycle lanes and other urban infrastructure. “The provisions (…) on which the contested act was based do not apply in this specific case, since road traffic is not at issue,” the court said.

The judges added that “changes to the geometry of the road, namely the installation of cycle lanes and protective islands (…), cannot be classified as the placement of an obstacle”, rejecting the argument that the works violated provisions of the Highway Code concerning impediments to traffic. The court also held that “INATRO and ANE are not responsible for approving projects to alter the road network within the local authority of the city of Quelimane”, noting that the avenues covered by the project fall under municipal management. Despite the court’s decision, Quelimane mayor Manuel de Araújo, elected by Renamo, the country’s third-largest opposition party, said the works had suffered losses that he attributed to “bad faith” by the Prosecutor’s Office, claiming they had been halted for more than six months.

“The interruption of its implementation for more than six months damaged our country’s image within the international community, as it is seen as an attempt by the executive authorities (ANE, INATRO and the Attorney General’s Office) to make projects implemented by the municipality unviable for partisan reasons,” Araújo said. In 2025, an international assessment ranked the municipality as Africa’s leading cycling city. At the time, the mayor described the distinction as the fulfilment of a “dream” and said the city aimed to build ten kilometres of cycle lanes.

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The recognition was awarded by the Copenhagenize Index 2025 – EIT Urban Mobility Edition, a European Union initiative that assesses and ranks the world’s most bicycle-friendly cities. The index evaluated 100 cities across 44 countries. On 7 December 2023, in Brussels, the mayor received on behalf of Quelimane the title of African City of Sport 2024, awarded by the European Cities of Sport Association (ACES Europe).

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