Moza committed to diaspora welfare: Talapa

Nyore Madzianike

 Senior Reporter

VISITING Mozambican Speaker of the National Assembly, Margarida Adamugi Talapa, yesterday met members of the Mozambican community in Harare and told them that the administration of President Daniel Chapo was committed to improving their welfare through various development programmes.

She said the Mozambican government was implementing empowerment programmes targeting all Mozambicans, regardless of their political background.

“President Chapo is implementing transformation programmes aimed at improving the economic and social welfare of all Mozambicans. He is also undertaking various empowerment programmes targeting women and other groups,” she said.

She indicated that Mozambique had recorded tangible development gains over the past one year and seven months following the election of President Chapo.

The Mozambican Speaker said peace and stability topped the list of President Chapo’s priorities, noting that peace attracts investment.

On security, she said the Mozambican Government was implementing initiatives involving the police and army to address challenges facing the country.

She said terrorism in Cabo Delgado remained a problem affecting Mozambique and its people, including the Mozambican community living abroad.

The army, she said, was working to address the terrorist threat and thanked Zimbabwe for its support in dealing with the conflict.

Ms Talapa told the community that Mozambique has 250 Members of Parliament, including 98 women and 37 youths, with legislators drawn from four political parties.

She urged the Mozambican community in Zimbabwe to share ideas that could help drive the development of their country.

The speaker said the parliamentary delegation had visited Zimbabwe to listen to the community and convey its views and concerns to President Chapo.

She also called for unity among Mozambicans, saying peace and cooperation were important for achieving economic independence.

The president of the Mozambican Residents in Zimbabwe, Mr Baiwotsh Kanyemba, encouraged their to continue pursuing development programmes.

“We therefore encourage the Government to continue creating opportunities through which Mozambicans living abroad can participate directly in the country’s social and economic development.

“The Mozambican community living in Zimbabwe sympathises with the people of Cabo Delgado. We stand with them in prayer and salute our Government and security forces for their continued fight against the terrorists,” he said.

Mr Kanyemba shared several concerns which, he said, the community wished to have addressed.

Among them, he said, were documentation challenges affecting many community  members.

“Key concerns of Mozambicans living in Zimbabwe relate to documentation and consular services. Your Excellency, access to documentation and consular services remains one of the most serious challenges affecting members of the Mozambican community in Zimbabwe.

“Many Mozambicans living in Zimbabwe continue to experience difficulties in obtaining or renewing passports, identity documents, birth certificates, consular cards and other essential documents.”

Mr Kanyemba requested increased mobile consular and documentation services, as well as consular outreach programmes, in all provinces where Mozambican communities are established in Zimbabwe.

He further requested that consideration be given to allocating commercial stands for diaspora-owned businesses, agricultural plots for farming projects and industrial stands for small-scale manufacturing.