Nyusi awards prosecutor for her work in the ‘hidden-debts’ trial; Maleiane hopes IMF talks will lead to more budget support

Welcome to Zitamar’s daily Mozambique briefing for 2 February 2022

Agenda:

• Tomorrow: Mozambican national holiday for Heroes’ Day; marking the anniversary of the death of the first Frelimo president, Eduardo Mondlane

---

The latest from Zitamar News:

Cabo Ligado Weekly: 24-30 January 2022

• Funding woes could force Lesotho’s SAMIM exit 

• French EU military chief voices support for TotalEnergies

• Insurgent attacks threaten Macomia town

• Food aid reaches Quissanga district

---

From the Zitamar Live Blog:

Follow on Telegram or on our website

Cyclone Batsirai could enter Mozambique channel
Cyclone Batsirai, currently in the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar, has the potential to enter the Mozambique Channel, Mozambique's meteorological institute warned this morning. The storm has reached the level of Intense Tropical Cyclone and is expected to have a severe impact on Madagascar in the coming days.

---

Also in the news:

• Filipe Nyusi awards prosecutor for her work in the ‘hidden-debts’ trial (DW)

• Finance minister hopes IMF talks will lead to more budget support (O País, AIM)

• More than 300 accused tried for terrorism in 2021 (AIM)

• Government plans review of terrorism laws (AIM)

• Storm Ana to aggravate food insecurity in Mozambique, report finds (Lusa)

Filipe Nyusi awards prosecutor for her work in the ‘hidden-debts’ trial (DW)
Mozambican president Filipe Nyusi has awarded the prosecutor of the ‘hidden-debts’ case, Sheila Marrengula, with a certificate of merit for her work in the continuing trial. The distinction, which was also awarded to other magistrates, was made yesterday at the Joaquim Chissano Conference Center, during the opening of the 2022 judicial year. Adriano Nuvunga of NGO Centre for Democracy and Development said the gesture is a way to limit how freely the prosecutor Marrengula will act, taking into account that it is in Nyusi's best interest that he is not called to court.
Other civil society figures agree with Nuvunga and suggest there should be greater separation between the executive and the judiciary bodies. With Nyusi still facing pressure to be called to court, this award does appear to represent a serious conflict of interest.

Finance minister hopes IMF talks will lead to more budget support (O País, AIM)