Mozambique: 48 years of independence, a journey between progress and setbacks.

Rogério Maduca - Radio Pax, Beira, Mozambique

In an interview with Mozambique’s Radio Pax, which broadcasts in the Archdiocese of Beira, Prof. Samuel Simango assessed the gains and challenges brought about by the country’s independence.

“The country is politically independent, a project embraced by all Mozambicans.” Still, one must also consider that, in these 48 years, the country has had its ups and downs.

Living from conflict to conflict

For the political analyst, economic development is one of Mozambique’s significant setbacks. At the same time, Mozambican society has not been able to maintain peace internally. “We are a country that has lived from conflict to conflict, till this day,” pointed Simango. He noted that these two points, a struggling economy and endemic conflicts, leave much to be desired.

Today we have more schools and universities

But there have also been advances, among which are the increased levels of education. At independence, the country had a very high rate of illiteracy. From independence, the country’s leaders made great strides to push through mass education programmes. Today we have more schools and universities, which allows us to say that there are areas where we have failed and others where we have advanced a lot,” reaffirmed the Professor.

An activist holds a poster that reads 'People in Power'

More needs to be done for health delivery

For the political analyst, one of the areas where Mozambique still has serious challenges is the health sector. “The quality of our health system is not what was desired by those who, since 1962, fought for the conquest of independence,” observed Professor Simango, reiterating that Mozambique is “a country of ups and downs, a country facing difficulties, yet the people are resilient and have been fighting for their self-affirmation,” he said.

An economy where everyone is a part

Samuel Simango also spoke about the economic development of Mozambique in these 48 years of political independence, emphasising that economic development should not be measured only by the number of existing factories or cultivated farms but that it is necessary to relate economic growth with the population’s involvement in its results.

Socialism brought about regression

Another critical factor, pointed out by Simango, is that Mozambique’s adoption of Scientific Socialism in its early independence as a national “ideology and a policy was not helpful to the developmental growth of the country. Before independence, Mozambique had a capitalist economy. Socialism produced a retraction in terms of development and investment. Besides, it is also fair to say that the new post-independence political class was unprepared for the role of governance. We didn’t have people prepared to continue with capitalism and, even worse, to properly implement Socialism,” stresses Simango.

Universities must engage in research

Finally, Simango noted that the country’s universities and laboratories still lack the capacity to produce researched homegrown solutions that could reverse the challenges the country faces today.

“Having said that, even if we have the best universities, nothing can be done if the policies adopted by the political elite do not lead to development. Government must create an environment that favours growth. This kind of environment is yet to be created. We have yet to arrive at that stage,” said Prof. Simango.