13 May 2011
Maputo — Opposition deputies on Friday accused the Mozambican government of breaking a promise to build sports stadiums in the north and centre of the country.
The excuse for the allegation was a bill authorising the government to draw up the legal regime for sports clubs that are also incorporated companies. This was an aspect omitted when the new commercial code was drawn up in 2005.
The bill passed through the Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic unanimously – but not before deputies from the former rebel movement Renamo accused the government of reneging on a promise made by President Armando Guebuza to build new stadiums in the three regions of the country – south, centre and north.
In mid-2011, the only new stadium that existed was the national stadium in Maputo, in the south. What had happened to the promised stadiums in the centre and north, demanded Jose Palaco.
For the majority Frelimo Party, Edmundo Galiza-Matos Junior accused Renamo of “regionalism and tribalism”. He pointed out that Renamo never approved the state budget, but now they wanted the government to dip into the budget to build more stadiums.
Under a barrage of Renamo heckling, Galiza-Matos pointed out that the possibilities of the government building anything “depend on the budget”.
Renamo deputy Francisco Machambisse replied “Everything is in Maputo, and so people like you from Maputo benefit from this situation”.
Other Frelimo deputies were quick to point out that in reality Galiza-Matos comes from the northern province of Cabo Delgado. “But he identifies with Maputo”, said the retreating Machambisse.
Armindo Milaco claimed that Frelimo despises people from the north and centre of the country and had “humiliated” the former chairperson of the Assembly, Eduardo Mulembue, because he comes from the northern province of Niassa. (Milaco did not explain what this “humiliation” consisted of – in fact, Mulembue, far from being despised, was repeatedly elected by the Frelimo majority to chair the Assembly and held the post for 15 years. He remains a member of the Frelimo Political Commission and chairs the Frelimo disciplinary body, the Verification Commission.)
The Minister of Youth and Sport, Pedrito Caetano, explained that the promise of three new stadiums was made when Mozambique put in a bid to host the African Cup of Nations, the continental football competition. But that bid was unsuccessful, and “we then had new priorities – building the national stadium and hosting the All-Africa Games (in September of this year)”.
He said the other two stadiums would feature in future annual government plans. But in any case, it was wrong to imagine that the only body that could build sports grounds was the central government. He pointed out that the Chingale football club in the western province of Tete has recently laid the first stone for a new stadium in Tete city, and the government is supporting initiatives to build new sports complexes in the northern city of Pemba, and in Moatize, also in Tete province.
Frelimo deputy Francisco Mucanheia pointed out that land has been identified in Nampula city to build a stadium the same size as the national stadium in Maputo. But it was unrealistic to imagine that three or four stadiums could be built simultaneously.
Renamo deputies also complained that there are no sports stars from the centre and north of the country. Caetano shot this claim down very easily, by noting that in the national football team there are two players from Nampula, three from the central province of Sofala, and one from the neighbouring province of Manica.
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Mozambique: Renamo Demands More Sports Stadiums