The Maputo Municipal Council is executing an environmental sanitation project valued at approximately €54 million. The intervention involves the construction of 14 kilometres of drainage channels in the municipal district of KaMaxakeni to improve stormwater runoff and reduce the risk of flooding in the most vulnerable neighbourhoods of the Mozambican capital.

The president of the Municipal Council, Rasaque Manhique, highlighted the project on Tuesday, 10 November, during celebrations marking Maputo's 139th anniversary, according to the newspaper Notícias. The works, backed by Italian development cooperation, held their groundbreaking ceremony in March.

Across several districts of the capital, inadequate drainage of rainwater affects homes, disrupts road traffic, and hampers economic activity. The city has more than 1.14 million inhabitants, according to projections from the National Statistics Institute (INE).

In a review of his administration, which began in February 2024, Manhique also highlighted the expansion of wastewater treatment services. According to the municipality, the number of beneficiaries rose from 15,000 to 128,000 — an increase of 113,000 people.

"Today, as we celebrate the 139th anniversary of our city, we can affirm that Maputo is undergoing a genuine structural transformation," the mayor said, quoted by Lusa.

Transport, youth and coastal protection

In solid waste management, the Municipal Sanitation Company collected approximately 504,000 tonnes of refuse since the start of the current administration, according to the balance presented by Manhique.

On public transport, the mayor stated that the integration of 50 new buses made available by the central government increased the municipal company's operational capacity by approximately 30%. According to data presented, the company operates a fleet of 75 vehicles and carries around 20,000 passengers per day across 22 routes.

Manhique also highlighted the creation of the Municipal Fund for Youth Empowerment, endowed with 70 million meticais to support initiatives across the city's seven municipal districts. According to the municipality, more than 14,000 young people participated in vocational training and labour market preparation activities.

On the environmental front, the municipality announced the planting of more than 50,000 seedlings, including around 45,000 mangrove species, to restore degraded areas and strengthen coastal protection. The municipality also reported that 100 families affected by flooding had been resettled in KaTembe-Nsime, and that it plans to make a further 250 plots available in the district of Matutuíne to house families living in at-risk zones.

"We know there is still much to be done. We know there are families that continue to face hardship, neighbourhoods that need better infrastructure, streets that need lighting, transport that needs to reach more communities, and municipal services that need to respond better to citizens' needs," Manhique said.

The ceremony also marked the beginning of preparations for Maputo's 140th anniversary, to be commemorated in November 2027.