Good afternoon. There is a close connection between public opinion and the state of road tolling in Mozambique. When public opinion is inflamed against the government, resistance to paying tolls increases. And from the other direction, having to pay tolls is a driver of discontent, not least because of the perception that toll revenues somehow end up in the hands of the elites in ruling party Frelimo.
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Yesterday’s announcement from transport minister João Matlombe that tolls are to be reduced from Thursday next week (see below) is in part a recognition that the government is still having trouble persuading people to pay, two weeks after the state-controlled toll road company Revimo officially restarted charging, following months during which tolls were suspended due to anti-government protests.
