The 1990 constitution provided for the separation of executive, legislative and judiciary powers, and abolished the death penalty. The Supreme Court is the final appellate court, and it has original jurisdiction in the most serious criminal cases. As well as other judicial courts, there are the Administrative Court, courts-martial, and customs, maritime and labour courts. Some Supreme Court judges are appointed by the President of the republic and others elected by parliament. Government and politics Last elections: October 2009 (legislative and presidential) Next elections: 2014 Head of State: President Armando Emilio Guebuza Head of Government: the President Ruling party: Frelimo President Joaquim Chissano and his party, Frelimo (Frente de Libertaçâo de Moçambique), won the presidential and parliamentary elections in December 1999. Chissano secured 52.3 per cent of the popular vote and Afonso Dhlakama – leader of Renamo (Resistência Nacional Moçambicana) and the candidate for 11 opposition parties – received 47.7 per cent. In the parliamentary elections Frelimo took 133 seats (48.5 per cent) and Renamo 117 (38.8 per cent). Chissano announced in mid-2001 that he would not stand for a third term in the election due in 2004 and in June 2002 Frelimo selected Armando Guebuza as its new leader and presidential candidate. In the December 2004 elections Guebuza – with 63.7 per cent of the votes – and Frelimo – with 160 seats – defeated Dhlakama (31.7 per cent) and Renamo (90 seats). Renamo immediately alleged electoral fraud and threatened to boycott parliament. Commonwealth observers and experts, who attended the elections, expressed concern at the low turnout (estimated at 36 per cent); they further concluded that conditions did exist for the free expression of the will of the people but that some degree of fraud had taken place which could conceivably have been sufficient to affect the results. In October 2009 Guebuza and Frelimo were returned to power. In the presidential contest Guebuza received 75 per cent of votes, Renamo leader Dhlakama 16 per cent and Daviz Simango of the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM) nine per cent; the turnout was 45 per cent. In the parliamentary elections Frelimo won 191 seats (with 75 per cent of votes), Renamo 51 seats (18 per cent) and MDM eight (four per cent). Commonwealth observers, who were once again present, found that the election had Mo z amb i q u e generally been well conducted, though there were concerns about lack of transparency in the work of the National Elections Commission. Local government Ministry: State Administration Association: National Association of Municipalities of Mozambique Local government was enshrined in the constitution by Law 9/96 (‘the local authority law’) and 43 local authorities were established in 33 cities and ten towns by Laws 2/97 and 10/97 (‘the municipalities laws’). The Minister of State Administration is responsible for local government. Local elections are held every five years. The local authorities are responsible for collecting licence fees and taxes, and receive transfers from national government financing the public services they are statutorily required to provide. National development plan Agenda 2025 was launched in November 2003 after a debate involving government, political parties, civil society, the private sector and development partners. It articulated the national vision of ‘a country in peace, united, cohesive, democratic and prosperous’, and its overall objective was to propel Mozambique into middle-income status by 2025. The current development plan, the Action Plan for Reducing Poverty 2011–14, aims to reduce the proportion of the population living in poverty from 55 per cent in 2009 to 42 per cent in 2014; to close the country’s infrastructure gap; and to promote human and economic well-being through rapid and inclusive growth. During the plan period the economy is expected to grow at an annual average real growth rate of eight per cent. Rising employment levels and enhanced social and human development will be achieved Governance institutions Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2013/14 215 Comissão Nacional de Eleições (electoral commission): www.stae.org.mz Office of the President: www.presidencia.gov.mz Ministry of Finance: www.mf.gov.mz Ministry of Industry and Trade: www.mic.gov.mz Banco de Moçambique (central bank): www.bancomoc.mz Bolsa de Valores de Moçambique (stock exchange): www.bvm.co.mz Instituto Nacional de Normalização e Qualidade (standards body): www.innoq.gov.mz Instituto Nacional das Comunicações de Moçambique (ICT regulator): www.incm.gov.mz
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