A well-respected Mozambican academic is facing trial for a comment he made on Facebook critical of President Guebuza. This is flagrant violation of the professor’s freedom of opinion and of expression. Such repression may close down public debate and lead to self-censorship.

A third force has emerged in Mozambican politics, the MDM party that is causing powerful ripples, especially in urban areas and the regions until now marginalised by the ruling FRELIMO party. RENAMO, the main opposition party, is dying. MDM is likely to put a strong showing in October's presidential election because of growing disaffection for the ruling party. But MDM is unlikely to trounce the still well-entrenched FRELIMO

Much has been achieved since the Protocol came into force. But to ensure gender equality and transformation in gender relations between women and men, a comprehensive change that radically alters the status quo of the power relations rather than ad hoc or piecemeal reforms is needed.

Brazil is among the extracting wealth from Mozambique. The southern African nation could soon join the resourced cursed societies, with polluted local environments and a changed structure of peoples’ lives, making them dependent on foreign decisions rather than their own local and national political power

The situation in the country is tense. The government has closed all avenues of dialogue with the main opposition party, which now appears to be contemplating a return to war.