The new government of President Daniel Chapo repeated the promises of past governments. The press and public have become cynical and ask why this time will be any different.
Speaking at the anti-corruption conference on 13 October, Chapo said "preventing and combating corruption is an absolute priority for our Government and should be taken up as a national cause." Government had approved yet another new strategy to prevent and combat corruption in public administration. This time corrupt civil servants would be held accountable. Government will take "concrete actions that enable us to better understand this phenomenon."
Chapo also talked of the Mozambican airline LAM, which he said was rife with corruption, theft, and embezzlement of public funds. He used a common Mozambicanism, "goatism" (cabritismo) coming from the saying a "a goat eats where it is tethered." This is taken to mean that the civil service "goat" takes commissions and bribes. Therefore, Chapo said, it necessary to “change the goats' pasture” so that the only pasture for LAM's goats would be their salary.
Cabo Delgado governor Valige Tauabo went to Palma on 11 October shortly after the most recent insurgent attack there. He said yet another new strategy to contain the offensives of insurgents is being developed. Speaking to residents at the local market, he said he had travelled to Palma to convey a promise of security to the population. “Let us keep our faith. The strategy for our security is being designed to give us the best possible protection.”
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Teachers will be paid the $34 mn owed to them for overtime teaching last year, President Chapo said in a teachers day speech on 12 October. The state recognises the debt, and is starting phased payments. "We are paying as quickly as possible and to the extent that financial resources and our capabilities allow". But teachers are not happy about repeated promises, and overtime for this year is not being paid. So some teachers have gone on strike. Education and Culture minister Samaria Tovela warned that teachers who miss classes as a result of the strike will face severe punishment. The teachers union (A Associação Nacional dos Professores - ANAPRO) on 13 October presented a petition to the Ombud (Provedoria de Justiça) accusing the minister of "intimidating" the teachers with "threats and pressures". Union president, Isac Marrengul, Marrengule criticized the tone adopted by the minister, arguing that the strikes are the result of a loss of confidence in the government, which had promised to pay overtime in its first 100 days in office.
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Mozambique second worst in world for extreme poverty, and not improving
The chart below ranks the 30 countries of the world with the highest percentage of population living in extreme poverty. DRC is worst with 85.3%, Mozambique is second worst with 82.2%, and Malawi third with 75.4%. Bangladesh, often treated as one of the poorest countries in the world, is at 8%. The percentages are of population living on an income of under $3 per person per day. The World Bank raised its extreme poverty line from $2.15 to $3.00 in June of this year.
This chart by Dorothy Neufeld and Sabrina Lam was published on 8 October by Visual Capitalist. The data comes from the World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform and Our World in Data. The World Bank's new (October 2025) Mozambique Poverty & Equity Brief uses the 2022 IOF survey (Inquerito aos orçamentos familiares) to estimate 81.4% of the population below $3 per day now. The Bank says "this rate is not expected to improve in 2026 or 2027."
