Mozambique: Mayor of Quelimane accuses ANE of sabotage

Araújo is one of the most high profile municipal opposition figures. He has been mayor of Quelimane since 2011, when he won a municipal by-election, standing on the ticket of the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM). He was then re-elected three times (in 2013, 2018 and 2023).

In the last two of these elections, he abandoned the MDM and ran for tRenamo. According to the mayor, speaking to reporters, the non-disbursement of funds is compromising road improvement in Quelimane. “This kind of situation forces interruption of various work taking place”, he said.

Araújo claimed that as a result of this “sabotage behaviour”, the rehabilitation of 25 June Avenue was abandoned last year and “this year, the disbursement has not yet been made for several months to the contractor responsible for another road.” However, he explained, despite the municipality having fulfilled the required formalities and submitted the invoices, seven months have passed without the ANE making the disbursements. “Because of that behaviour, the works on Avenida Eduardo Mondlane and Avenida 25 de Junho were halted”, he said.