Welcome to Zitamar’s round-up of what’s new in Mozambique today, 17 July 2017.

The latest from Zitamar News:

• Ex-minister of justice jailed over ‘corrupt’ Mecca pilgrimage
• Rubber bullets fired as riot police confront strikers in Maputo and Manica

The best of the rest:

Nyusi speaking again with Dhlakama (MediaFax)
President Filipe Nyusi, speaking at a rally during his visit to Gaza province yesterday, announced that he had spoken on Saturday with Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama.
Nyusi did not disclose what he discussed with the Renamo leader, but the two need to work out their disagreements over the withdrawal of state defence forces from the Gorongosa mountain range.

“Very difficult” negotiations between Mozambique and IMF (Correio da Manhã)
The current negotiations between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Mozambican government will be “very difficult”, according to the Norwegian ambassador in Maputo, Anne Lene Dale. The Fund, Dale stressed, will demand reforms from the state, especially to clarify the relationship between the public and private sectors in Mozambique.
An IMF mission has been in Maputo since 10 July to discuss, among other things, the results of Kroll’s audit of hidden debts. The visit ends this Wednesday.

Maputo water system expansion project to be completed by end of year (AIM)
A project to expand the Greater Maputo region’s water supply system is already 70 percent complete and is expected to be finished by the end of this year, Public Works minister Carlos Bonete said on Friday.
The over $200 million project should double the system’s capacity, allowing it to process 120,000 cubic meters of water per day. The added capacity will benefit some 650,000 people, relieving pressure caused by both rainfall shortages and demographic growth in the area.

Police release UEM strikers (MediaFax)
Four members of the Administrative Technical Corps of Eduardo Mondlane University were released over the weekend, having spent just over 48 hours in custody after being arrested on Thursday during protests associated with the Corps’ ongoing strike.
The strike is in response to the University’s alleged withdrawal of bonuses to Corps members without explanation. The University claims that the strike is illegal.

Construction to start on Moz-Zim-SA power line (NewsDay)
Zimbabwean authorities are currently conducting environmental and social impact assessments for the planned 1,000km, 400-kilovolt ‘Mozisa’ power line from Mozambique through Zimbabwe to South Africa. Construction on the project, which is a key piece of infrastructure for the Southern African Power Pool, is expected to start soon, according to Zimbabwean media.

Malawi, Mozambique border officials meet (Malawi24)
Mozambican and Malawian border officials held a meeting at the Zobue-Mwanza borders to. The sides discussed cross-border crimes, treatment of border crossers by security services, and proper documentation, among other topics, according to Malawian spokesman Pasqually Zulu.
They probably also discussed the issue of refugees from the 2015-16 conflict, which Mozambique desperately wants to return – but thousands of them are still scared of the situation they will face in Mozambique.

Today

• The IMF technical team continues its visit to Maputo to discuss the Kroll report and its implications with Mozambican officials. The visit runs until 19 July.
• 12th grade exams have started in Mozambique. According to data released by the Education Ministry, close to 60,000 students are sitting for the exam this year.

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