All the President’s men

Paul Kagame confirms presence of RPF owned security company in Mozambique

Good afternoon. A Zitamar exclusive last week has now elicited a presidential response — not from Mozambique’s president, of course, but from Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, who gave a press conference in Kigali this week for journalists from across the continent, including a team from Mozambican state broadcaster TVM.

The TVM journalist present asked Kagame about our report on the establishment of a Rwandan security company in Mozambique — a report which also made the front page of Savana last Friday. Kagame acknowledged the establishment of the company, saying it is there to do a job that the army and police cannot — and that it could be hired by private entities, or by the government.

Before we sign off for the week, it is worth highlighting our story yesterday about strong signs that the Mozambique LNG project will get going again in the second half of this year. The French humanitarian and diplomat Jean-Christophe Rufin had until this week to complete a report on the humanitarian situation in Cabo Delgado for TotalEnergies; TotalEnergies insisted to Zitamar that it is waiting for that report before it makes a decision on returning. But the statement from Saipem, TotalEnergies’ main contractor, makes it pretty clear that a decision has already been taken. Good news for companies hoping to pick up contracts from the project — including Rwandan private security.

Have a great weekend.

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Agenda:

• Today: President Nyusi begins a three-day working visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

• Tomorrow: Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane travels to Doha, Qatar, for the fifth 10-yearly UN conference on the world’s least developed countries, LDC5, running from 5 to 9 March. See here for more

https://bit.ly/3XCDCOb

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The latest from Zitamar News:

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Also in the news:

• Kagame confirms Rwandan private security company in Cabo Delgado

• CFM may introduce two passenger trains between Mozambique and Malawi 

• Frelimo moves against opposition politician Venâncio Mondlane 

• Road accident in Manica kills nine, injures 15 more

Today’s front pages in Maputo. Photo © Faizal Chauque / Zitamar News