Zitamar Daily: A tale of three bridges

The future’s bright for Mozambican infrastructure, though the present is worrying

The rainy season has yet to begin in Mozambique, but infrastructure in the north is already creaking. A bridge on a major trunk road in Nampula has collapsed, forcing people to use the train when travelling to and from Niassa. That road is a key part of the Nacala corridor, which is in the spotlight after a visit to Nacala by Malawian and Mozambican ministers this week — and a promise of hundreds of millions of dollars from the World Bank to upgrade the corridor.

In Tete, the bridge over the Revuboe linking the cities of Tete and Moatize has still not been repaired, but the pedestrian causeway erected as a temporary solution now has to be removed in preparation for rains which will swell the river. And — arguably more important than the bridges over the Revuboe or Natete — the bridge over the Save river, where southern Mozambique meets central Mozambique on the border of Inhambane and Sofala, is still not done, and will only be ready next year. This project was started before the pandemic, and the pandemic has delayed it. But having to use a temporary bridge has been causing serious costs to logistics providers for years now.

It's not all bad news for logistics in Mozambique. Maputo port, and operators like Grindrod, have been taking advantage of increasing bottlenecks in neighbouring South Africa, and are now aiming to increase capacity at Matola in the same way as they have done in Maputo.

The full Daily Briefing is below; we'll be back tomorrow.

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Agenda:

• Today: Government ministers answer questions in parliament on the economy, infrastructure, and social support

• Today - 29 October: Tanzania People's Defence Force holds field exercises in the southeastern regions of Lindi and Mtwara, involving warplanes, helicopters, medium and short range missiles, anti-aircraft guns and other weapons, according to a press release issued yesterday

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The latest from Zitamar News:

Cabo Ligado Weekly: 10-16 October 2022

• Insurgent violence in Nangade intensifies

• Insurgents make appeal to the local Muslim community

• CNE president says extra security needed to hold elections in Cabo Delgado next year

Report also available in Portuguese

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Also in the news:

• Twelve new municipalities created (Mozambique Political Process Bulletin, AIM, O País)

• Suspected kidnapper arrested (Notícias)

• Maputo chapa subsidies to start this week (O País)

• Syrah initiates disciplinary proceedings against Balama strikers (Notícias)

• Revuboe footbridge to be dismantled (Notícias)

• Save bridge to be ready next year (Radio Moçambique)

• Bridge collapses on Niassa road (Carta de Moçambique)

• World Bank to provide $380m to help Malawi export through Nacala (Radio Moçambique)

• Grindrod to improve Matola terminal after reaping rewards of Maputo investments (BusinessLIVE)

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