Die Verwaltungsreform in Mosambik - ein Beitrag zu Frieden und Demokratie?

The contribution analyses scope and changes of the current programme of administrative reform (Programma de Reforma dos Órgãos Locais, PROL) and its legislation in Mozambique, contextualiasing it within the necessities and efforts of peace consolidation in the post-war era. Instead of the far-reaching administrative reform and decentralisation (devolution) of power to local governments initially legislated in 1994, at the time of the implementation of the Rome General Peace Agreement of 1992, a constitutional amendment of 1996 and the legislation revised in 1997 basically restrict local self-government to cities, secondary towns and district centres, simultaneously maintaining structures of central administration in the latter. These substantial changes of form and content of the programme are seen to be related to fears of the ruling FRELIMO-party of a new sociology and geography of power, which would eventually be brought about by a far reaching reform-process. Nevertheless, despite its highly centralised approach and some doubts concerning its sustainability, the decentralisation process is seen to contribute to democratisation, local empowerment and a transfer of resources to the local governments, albeit incrementally at the beginning. On the basis of the results of the 1994 general elections it is estimated, that the local government elections earmarked for December 1997 - and postponed into 1998 - might be won by the former guerilla opposition party RENAMO in almost half of the 33 cities and towns eligible for municipal government. However, doubts remain as to their full participation in the process, given their boycott of, respectively voting against the legislation in Parliament.