The capital, Maputo, is  in the southern part of the country. There are 1.3 million inhabitants, the majority (70%) of whom live in slums. The mayor is directly elected. The ruling party, FRELIMO, maintained its position in the November 2008 elections, winning 85% of the votes and up 10 percentage points from the 2003 elections. 


 FRELIMO dominated local elections and won 41 mayoral seats out of 43 local governments in  direct elections. This was the first municipal election of 10  municipalities, expanding from 33 in 2003. Election results were compromised by low turnout. Only 300,000 people voted, one-fifth of Maputo's population. Nationwide, 46 percent of  registered voters participated. This seems to indicate that the number of registered voters is very small or the participation of those voters is very small. Meanwhile, international observers described the elections as calm, free, fair and transparent. 

 

 Maputo has a budget of $ 6.4 million,  about $ 5 per inhabitant. Maputo faces the same challenges as any other city in Mozambique. A small local government budget delegated by the federal government and low tax revenues. High levels of corruption also result in a tax base that prefers to pay civil servants a lower fee  than the actual tax. The biggest challenges are garbage collection, rough roads and poor drainage. Informal settlements that dominate the city are also in  poor condition, often near or near the floodplain. 

 

 

 Therefore, most of the  inhabitants of the capital are exposed to the threat of natural disasters such as floods and landslides. As the largest port in the country, Maputo's economy is centered around the port. The main exports are coal, cotton, sugar, chromite, sisal, copra and hardwood. Secondary products include cement, pottery, furniture, shoes and rubber.  The Government of Mozambique takes these threats seriously. Decentralized decision making, simplified land registration and building codes, and built hundreds of new schools and  clinics. Today, we continue that process and take additional steps to engage urban and rural communities in decisions and policies that affect their lives. Progress is encouraging, but there is still much  to do. Relocation to cities increases pressure on urban areas and limits access to clean water, available land, medical and educational facilities. Without these, the country cannot sustain its progress.  

 

 

 It is clear that Mozambique needs to rethink its overall approach to citation while continuing to promote policies that allow the community to help itself. For this reason, the Government of Mozambique has partnered with UNHABITAT to identify the agreed prioritized intervention. With the generous support of the Governments of Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium and close cooperation with the European Commission, UNHABITAT will work with the Government, other international organizations, citizenships and local governments to provide a more efficient and transparent administration. Worked on governance and improved. Service provision and overall improved living conditions for the majority and important parts of Mozambique's population.