The Week in Mozambique, from Zitamar News

Sat, 19 Mar 2022 11:28:59 GMT

It's been a busy week at Zitamar News — and this newsletter is packed with content for paying and free subscribers alike.

* New Zitamar Podcast

* Exclusive news on Cyclone Gombe, Mozambique LNG, Maputo Port, and more

* New Cabo Ligado Weekly and Monthly reports

Sign up to receive regular updates from Mozambique. Become a paying subscriber for full access to our exclusive news and the essential Zitamar Daily Briefing.

Zitamar Podcast

On this week's Zitamar Podcast, Mozambican journalist Fernando Lima joins Zitamar editor Tom Bowker to discuss the latest developments in the country.

Geopolitical realities — though still being denied in some quarters — are leading to sharp rises in the price of fuel and wheat, which will hit standards of living in Mozambique. The terrible effects of Cyclone Gombe on the country will make things even harder in the short term.

The rise in gas prices however could boost Mozambique's prospects of becoming a major fossil fuel exporter. That could affect how TotalEnergies and its consortium partners view their LNG project in Palma — a district to which some semblance of security has returned, even as the brutal insurgency continues elsewhere in Cabo Delgado province.

That reality — of progress being made in the Cabo Delgado conflict, but with much more still to be done — has been used by some supporters of President Nyusi to argue that he should continue leading the country beyond the end of his second mandate which ends in 2024. The question of who will be Frelimo's presidential candidate in those elections is hanging over the ruling party — but a senior party official said this week that we should not expect a decision on a candidate at the party Congress in September this year. That will at least allow Nyusi a few more months before he becomes a 'lame duck' once his successor is anointed.

His main priority is to avoid power swinging back to the wing of the party loyal to his predecessor, Armando Guebuza — and the trial of former minister Helena Taipo, which started this week, can be seen through that lens.

Tune in to understand how.

On Zitamar News this week:

* Insurgents and state forces claim victory in bloody battle for Matemo island (FREE)

* Beira flooded by a year's worth of rain in two days, as Cyclone Gombe returns (£)

* Eskom and Mozal in talks with EDM to buy Temane power (£)

* New citrus terminal to open at expanding Maputo Port (£)

* Ousted country head threatens Pathfinder with legal action (£)

* TotalEnergies Mozambique head visits Mocímboa da Praia port (FREE)

Subscribe for full access:

Cabo Ligado Latest

Monthly Report: February 2022

Vital Trends

* Insurgent activity continued in Nangade and Macomia districts, while Palma remained under the control of Mozambican and Rwandan forces

* In Macomia, insurgents targeted positions of the Mozambican security and defense forces, to lethal effect

* President Nyusi continued a diplomatic offensive to drum up support for fighting the insurgency

In This Report

* Tanzania frees long-standing detainees facing terror charges, and takes in more refugees, in moves to mollify local communities and international partners

* An analysis of the Cabo Delgado insurgency's links to international jihadi movements

* How the Mozambique government responded to the insurgency's expansion to Niassa

* A run-down of President Nyusi's recent attempts to win international financial support for Rwandan and SADC military assistance

Cabo Ligado Weekly: 7-13 March 2022

Full report here in English

And in Portuguese

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zitamarnews.substack.com/subscribe

🎧 Mozambique's economy on the mend; Mopeia victims abandoned; and East Africa's jihadi propaganda war

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 13:28:29 GMT

Welcome to another edition of the Zitamar Podcast.

Today, regular guest Fernando Lima, a senior Mozambican journalist and the publisher of Savana and Mediacoop, joins me to discuss the issues of the day, including the prospects for Mozambique's economy in 2022, and the official reaction to the weekend's road crash tragedy which has killed 28 people.

In part 2, Peter Bofin of Cabo Ligado talks us through his analysis of recruitment propaganda from Islamic State and also Al Shabaab in East Africa, and how their rivalry could be helping fuel the conflict in Cabo Delgado.

Thanks again for listening,

Tom Bowker, editor, Zitamar News

The latest from Zitamar News:

Local militia foil Mueda prison breakA prisoner who escaped from Mueda's district prison, Cadeia Distrital de Mueda in Cabo Delgado province on Saturday afternoon was recaptured by local militia within 30 minutes

Also in the news:

* Standard Bank raises economic growth forecast (Standard Bank)

* Energy production and exports expected to decrease in 2022 (Notícias)

* Three men arrested for attempted kidnapping (Lusa)

* Storm Ana affects 600,000 people in northern and central regions (Notícias, A Verdade)

* Authorities slow to react to Zambezia road crash tragedy (AIM)

For the full Zitamar Daily Briefing, and access to all the news on www.zitamar.com, click below to subscribe.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zitamarnews.substack.com/subscribe

Mozambique Today — with Zitamar News

The Week in Mozambique, from Zitamar News

🎧 Mozambique's economy on the mend; Mopeia victims abandoned; and East Africa's jihadi propaganda war