US embassy cable - 05MAPUTO831

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000831 
 
SIPDIS 
FOR AF/S - HTREGER 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM, PGOV, PREL, MZ, Guebuza 
SUBJECT: MOZAMBIQUE CELEBRATES THIRTY YEARS OF 
INDEPENDENCE; DESPITE ACHIEVEMENTS, CHALLENGES STILL EXIST 
 
Summary 
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1. On the weekend of June 25, Mozambique commemorated 30 
years of independence from Portugal. In events attended by 
numerous foreign dignitaries and diplomats, President Guebuza 
reiterated his campaign promise to fight absolute poverty, 
crime and corruption. Recognizing the challenges that 
Mozambique still faces, Guebuza called on all Mozambicans to 
unite in the battle. Opposition Renamo leader Afonso 
Dhlakama and his party boycotted official events. End 
Summary. 
 
Mozambique Celebrates Thirty Years of Independence 
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2. In several events on the weekend of June 25, Mozambique 
celebrated 30 years of independence from Portuguese rule. 
Independence Day festivities in the capital city of Maputo 
included a morning wreath-laying ceremony at the Praca dos 
Herois, a monument where the remains of 26 liberation-era 
heroes, including Mozambique's founding president Samora 
Machel, are enshrined. Celebrations then moved to the Praca 
da Independencia where President Armando Guebuza welcomed the 
"flame of unity," a torch that was carried the length and 
breadth of the country under the slogan "Together in the 
Fight Against Poverty," repeating a torch run made at the 
time of independence. Dignitaries reported as attending the 
festivities included the presidents of Botswana, Malawi, 
Namibia, Tanzania, and Sao Tome and Principe, as well as 
South African elder statesman Nelson Mandela, who is now 
married to Machel's widow Graca, head of the NGO Foundation 
for Community Development (FDC). 
 
3. In his Independence Day address, President Guebuza 
reiterated the government's commitment to battle absolute 
poverty and urged all Mozambican citizens to fight obstacles 
to development, including red tape, corruption, crime, and 
diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and cholera. 
Guebuza admitted that, though Mozambique has experienced 
significant economic growth (about 8 percent a year between 
1992-2004), the country still faces high poverty and 
unemployment rates, mainly among the rural populations. 
Guebuza said his five-year program seeks to address these 
issues by expanding basic social services such as education 
and health, increasing supply of water and power, and 
improving roads and other key infrastructure. On the 
international front, Guebuza spoke for the continued 
reinforcement of cooperation with bilateral and multilateral 
partners. (Note: Guebuza arrived back in Mozambique just 
days after completing two visits to the United States, where 
he participated in June 13 meetings with President Bush, MCC, 
USAID and, on a second visit, attended the CCA Business 
Summit in Baltimore. End note.) 
 
Renamo Boycotts Official Events 
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4. Afonso Dhlakama, leader of the opposition party Renamo, 
carried out his promise to boycott the celebrations claiming 
they were "a thinly-disguised ode" to the ruling Frelimo 
party. Mozambican Television (TVM) showed footage of 
Dhlakama and a few dozen Renamo members having their own 
party on the lawn outside the Renamo headquarters in Maputo. 
Several minor parties, some of which are part of the 
Renamo-Electoral Coalition, apparently ignored Dhlakama's 
call for a boycott and took part in the official events, 
including a reception at the Presidential Gardens. 
 
Comment 
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5. The ceremonies seemed less partisan than they could have 
been, and Guebuza's speech included praise, albeit 
backhanded, to Renamo for abiding by the terms of the Rome 
Peace Accords. End Comment. 
Dudley