US embassy cable - 05MAPUTO208

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 MAPUTO 000208 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
STATE FOR INR/B AND AF/S - HTREGER 
STATE FOR AF/PD - CDALTON AND PEHRNMAN 
STATE FOR ECA/PE/V 
STATE PASS USTR FOR PCOLEMAN 
STATE PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA 
MCC FOR BRIGGS AND GAULL 
USDOC FOR RTELCHIN 
DIA FOR MOLESWORTH RAF 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINR, PGOV, MZ, Biographical 
SUBJECT: MOZAMBIQUE: BIODATA ON NEW GUEBUZA CABINET (PART II) 
 
REFS: (A) MAPUTO 184 
(B) MAPUTO 161 
? 
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please handle accordingly. 
Not for internet distribution. 
 
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Introduction 
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2. (U) This message reports biographical data for key ministers 
recently appointed by President Guebuza. The message follows 
biodata presented in reftel A. Biodata on additional cabinet 
members will be provided in septel. Sources include official 
ministerial biographies, local media reports, and information 
obtained from Embassy contacts. 
 
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Table of Contents 
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-- Manuel Chang, Minister of Finance 
-- Helena Taipo, Minister of Labor 
-- Lucas Chomera, Minister of State Administration 
-- Francisco Madeira, Minister in the Presidency for Diplomatic 
Affairs 
-- Fernando Sumbana, Minister of Tourism 
-- Aires Bonifacio Aly, Minister of Education and Culture 
-- Luciano de Castro, Minister of Coordination and Environmental 
Action 
-- Virgilia Matabele, Minister of Women and Social Action 
 
--------------------------------- 
Manuel Chang, Minister of Finance 
--------------------------------- 
3. (U) Manuel Chang replaces Luisa Diogo as Minister of Finance. 
Diogo was Finance Minister in Chissano's 2000-2005 government and 
also Prime Minister for the last year of Chissano's government 
and is now exclusively Prime Minister (ref A). Chang had served 
since 2000 as Vice Minister of Planning and Finance (Note: The 
mandate of this ministry in the Guebuza administration has been 
reduced in scope from both planning and finance to just finance; 
planning is now done by another ministry. End Note.) Chang 
received a degree in Economics from Eduardo Mondlane University 
in 1985 and a Master's in Economics from the University of London 
in 1992. Chang began his public service career with the Ministry 
of Planning and Finance in 1975. He gradually rose through the 
ranks, serving as Section Chief [19771988], Head of the Treasury 
Department [19891993], and National Director of Budget [1993 
2000]. Until his appointment to the cabinet in 2000, he also 
served as President of the Auditing Council of the Bank of 
Mozambique and was a member of the Management Council of the 
Mozambique-Zimbabwe Pipeline (CPMZ). 
 
4. (U) Manuel Chang was born in Gaza province in 1955. He is the 
son of a Chinese farmer and Mozambican housewife. 
 
------------------------------- 
Helena Taipo, Minister of Labor 
------------------------------- 
5. (U) Helena Taipo replaces Mario Sevene as Minister of Labor. 
She holds a degree in Psychology and Pedagogy from Maputo's 
Pedagogical University. Prior to her cabinet appointment, she 
served as Provincial Director of Labor for Nampula province. 
 
6. (SBU) Taipo, perhaps the least known member of the cabinet, is 
one of four cabinet members from Nampula province, the most 
populous province in the country. Her appointment is viewed by 
some as a reward for playing an active role in supporting 
FRELIMO's electoral campaign in Nampula. She is reported to be a 
dynamic and committed leader. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
Lucas Chomera, Minister of State Administration 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
7. (U) Lucas Chomera replaces Jose Chichava as Minister of State 
Adminstration. Until his appointment on February 5, Chomera 
served as governor of Zambezia province, the second most populous 
province in the country. Prior to assuming that role in 2000, 
Chomera was a senior official with the Ministry of Health. He is 
one of 7 provincial governors who have risen to the rank of 
Minister under Guebuza. 
 
8. (U) As governor of Zambezia, which is considered a RENAMO 
stronghold, Chomera was given the task of implementing government 
programs in a potentially hostile political environment. 
 
9. (SBU) Making bureaucracy more efficient is one of the 
priorities of Guebuza government, and Chomera is expected to use 
a large part of his resources on public sector reform. On his 
first day as Minister, Chomera announced he would prioritize 
implementing public reform laws, which to date have not been put 
into practice, including the law 8/2003 that delegates more power 
from the central government to provincial governors. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
Francisco Madeira, Minister in the Presidency for Diplomatic 
Affairs 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
10. (U) Francisco Madeira becomes one of two Ministers in the 
Presidency, though his portfolio has narrowed to solely 
Diplomatic Affairs. Madeira studied at Maputo's Eduardo Mondlane 
University from 1975 to 1997, at which time he also trained with 
the Customs Service. Madeira joined the civil service shortly 
thereafter, working as Chief of the Finance Minister's Office 
[19771978] before opting for a career with the diplomatic 
service. Upon graduating in International Relations from the 
Foreign Affairs Center in Dar-es-Salaam in 1979, he became 
Minister Plenipotentiary. He obtained a law degree from Eduardo 
Mondlane University in 1982 and in 1983 was appointed Ambassador 
to Tanzania [1983-1986] and Ambassador to Zimbabwe [1986-1989]. 
President Chissano appointed him as his Diplomatic Advisor in 
1989. Between 1990 and 1992, he played a key role as a FRELIMO 
negotiator in the Rome peace talks between the government and 
RENAMO. More recently, Madeira served as President Chissano's 
envoy to the Burundi peace negotiations and took part in the 
Comoros peace process. 
 
11. (SBU) Many believe Guebuza has retained Madeira, who was 
Minister of Parliamentary and Diplomatic Affairs from 1994, due 
to their close collaboration in the Burundi peace process. 
Madeira has recently been given the additional responsibility of 
working internally with political parties on government-related 
issues, which means that he will have less time to devote to 
foreign affairs. 
 
12. (U) Madeira, born in Sofala province in 1954, is from the 
Ndau ethic group, the same as RENAMO leader Afonso Dhlakama. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Fernando Sumbana, Minister of Tourism 
------------------------------------- 
13. (U) Fernando Sumbana remains in his post as Minister of 
Tourism, to which he was appointed in January 2000. He earned a 
degree in Economics from Maputo's Eduardo Mondlane University in 
1981 and also holds a Master's in International Management from 
Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management 
[1989]. Immediately prior to his appointment as Minister in 
2000, Sumbana served simultaneously as President of the National 
Tourism Fund and Director of the Investment Promotion Center. 
 
14. (SBU) Early in his tenure, Sumbana worked successfully to 
drop Mozambique's "visa in advance" requirement in an effort to 
facilitate tourism in Mozambique. Unfortunately, internal power 
struggles and organizational constraints kept him from being more 
effective in developing Mozambique's tourism potential. His 
staying on under Guebuza was expected, not necessarily due to his 
competency but owing more to his family's strong ties to Guebuza. 
The Sumbana family is said to have helped hide the young Guebuza 
when the Portuguese secret police learned that he had attempted 
to flee to Tanzania to join FRELIMO. Sumbana comes from a strong 
business background and he, himself, has numerous business 
interests in Mozambique, though he is known as one public 
official who separates quite well his personal business interests 
from his government role. 
 
15. (U) Sumbana was born in 1954 in Manhia, Maputo. 
 
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Aires Bonifacio Aly, Minister of Education and Culture 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
16. (U) Aires Bonifacio Aly has been appointed Minister in the 
newly merged Ministry of Education and Culture. An educator by 
profession, Aly began his career as a secondary school teacher in 
1976. In 1997, Aly was named Provincial Director of the Ministry 
of Education and served in this capacity until 1986, when he 
assumed the position of Educational Advisor to the Ministry of 
Education. During that time, Aly continued his post-graduate 
studies at Maputo's Pedagogical University [19861991]. From 
1989 to 1993, Aly held various positions within the Ministry, 
including Chief of Staff and National Director. Aly was elected 
to the National Assembly on the FRELIMO ticket in the 1994 
multiparty elections, but resigned a few months later when he was 
appointed governor of Niassa province. In 2000, he was appointed 
governor of Inhambane province, a post he leaves to assume his 
cabinet position. 
 
17. (SBU) Aly is described as a hard worker, factors likely 
contributing to his appointment as governor of two of 
Mozambique's poorest provinces. As governor of Niassa, Aly 
initiated a project aimed at reducing extreme poverty through 
partnerships between Mozambican and South African farmers. 
Unfortunately the project failed for lack of financing; he is 
seen as a productive leader despite this setback. Aly leaves his 
post in Inhambane having led the province in establishing its 
first institute of higher education, the Eduardo Mondlane 
University Faculty of Tourism. 
 
18. (U) Aly is a published author and holds two Diplomas of Honor 
from the Ministry of Education [1983 and 1986]. He was born 
December 6, 1955 in the northern province of Niassa. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
Luciano de Castro, Minister of Coordination of Environmental 
Action 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
19. (U) Luciano de Castro replaces John Kachamila as Minister of 
Coordination of Environmental Action. Immediately prior to his 
appointment as Minister, Castro served as Vice Minister of Woman 
and Social Action. Castro holds a degree in Biology from the 
Technical University of Gustrow in Germany [1987]. Early in his 
career Castro taught in his home province of Nampula. In 1990, 
Castro was nominated as FRELIMO Provincial Secretary for Nampula 
province. In 1999, he was elected to the National Assembly and 
named a member of the Permanent Committee, positions he held 
until his appointment as Vice Minister of Women and Social Action 
in 2000. 
 
20. (SBU) Luciano de Castro was born in Nampula province in 1955. 
He is recognized for his gentle manner and instructive/inclusive 
approach to managing. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
Virglia Matabele, Minister of Women and Social Action 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
21. (U) Virgilia Matabele retains her post as Minister of Women 
and Social Action to which she was appointed in 2000 under 
Chissano. Matabele holds degrees in Modern Literature [1977] and 
Linguistics [1991] from Maputo's prestigious Eduardo Mondlane 
University. She began her career as a Portuguese teacher at 
Maputo's Commercial Institute [19771983]. Before being elected 
to the National Assembly in 1994, Matabele served as Head of the 
International Relations Department in the Ministry of Tourism and 
Director of Human Resources at the Ministry of Trade. While 
serving in the National Assembly Matabele was named Deputy Chair 
r 
of the FRELIMO bench. She was elected to a second term in the 
National Assembly in 1999, but resigned upon her appointment as 
Minister. In June 2002, Matabele became part of the powerful 
FRELIMO 15-member Political Commission. 
 
22. (U) Matabele is described as open and approachable. Matabele 
was born in 1952 in Zambezia province. 
LALIME