As his term in office draws to an end, the mayor of Mocímboa da Praia pleads for the reconstruction of the town

The town of Mocimboa da Praia, in Cabo Delgado, is seeking to recover the dynamism it lost during years of conflict, but the reconstruction of infrastructure remains constrained by perceptions of insecurity among potential funding partners.

Municipal President Helena Bandeira says the municipality already has projects aimed at rehabilitating roads, streets and other infrastructure, but is struggling to find institutions willing to finance the initiatives.

According to the mayor, some partners continue to associate Mocimboa da Praia with the period when residents were forced to flee the town because of armed violence. The image of a conflict-affected area, she says, continues to influence the decisions of some financial institutions, despite the return of residents.

According to him the war is not only in Mocimboa da Praia, it is everywhere. But because in Mocímboa da Praia we had to leave and stayed away for two years, in the minds of our partners there is still the idea that [the district] is at war,” Bandeira said speaking to media.

The municipal president says some institutions have reportedly refused to support municipal projects because they consider the area too risky. Bandeira says she has letters documenting some of these decisions, although she did not make the documents available for consultation.

The funding challenge adds to the difficulties facing a town that still needs to restore infrastructure damaged or neglected during the period of instability. For Bandeira, the challenge is not only addressing the town’s needs, but also convincing partners that Mocimboa da Praia is ready to attract investment again.

Bandeira argues that the return of residents is one of the clearest signs that the town is gradually recovering its momentum. She says she feels safe in the municipality and believes the growing presence of residents shows that economic and social activity is slowly returning.

She demands that partners should not be afraid. Our town is still alive and has room to grow, and it is still alive and has the potential to change.

The challenge now, according to the municipal president, is to turn the return of residents into tangible infrastructure recovery and a new phase of development for Mocímboa da Praia. (MozaNorte)