Mozambique: Parliament greenlights new Highway Code, Aeronautical Register Code and Merchant Marine Bill

The Mozambican Government will revise the Highway Code to criminalise certain offences, strengthen road enforcement, introduce surveillance cameras and implement a points-based driving licence system, following parliamentary approval today.

The bill authorising the revision of the legislation was approved today by consensus and definitively by all four parliamentary groups in the Assembly of the Republic, 15 years after the last update. Transport and Logistics Minister João Matlombe said the changes would bring the rules into line with national and international traffic dynamics, as well as technological advances and sustainable mobility, while criminalising actions considered illegal on public roads.

“It is very common nowadays for a motorist, in protest, to decide to block a road with a vehicle and then walk away (…) Today, this is merely an offence. But the economic and social damage this causes our society affects thousands of people who need to travel to hospitals and may even lose their lives because they cannot get there when the road is blocked,” João Matlombe warned.

In this regard, the Government wants to put an end to “anarchy” on the roads, arguing that certain practices on public roads must be criminalised. It also stressed that it is time for people to take responsibility for their behaviour on the road, insisting that road offences can no longer be treated as normal, as this undermines enforcement and police action.

“This revision also focuses on tougher penalties for high-risk behaviour, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or psychotropic substances, as well as the use of mobile phones while driving,” he noted.

The proposal will introduce a points-based driving licence system to curb road accidents, arguing that citizens’ safety “is non-negotiable”. The Government believes the system will make it possible to monitor how frequently drivers commit offences and keep a record of their driving behaviour.

“We intend to introduce surveillance cameras for road traffic purposes so that we can capture all offences committed on public roads, whether speeding or crossing intersections against a red traffic light, so that those responsible can be held accountable,” Matlombe said, indicating that electronic devices would improve road safety and the efficiency of road transport.

The legal revision will introduce regulations governing new types of vehicles, such as electric vehicles, and strengthen mechanisms for monitoring drivers of public transport vehicles, passenger transport and freight transport, particularly long-distance services, in view of the current level of road accidents.

Code of the Aeronautical Register and Bill on Merchant Marine and Related Activities

Parliament also approved the law authorising the Government to approve the Code of the Aeronautical Register, with the aim of attracting investment and financing.

“The existence of a modern, secure and publicly accessible Aeronautical Register provides legal certainty for operators, financial institutions and lessors, while also enabling access to aircraft financing and leasing markets, reducing the cost of capital and making the renewal of the national fleet viable,” Matlombe said.

The bill on the Merchant Marine and Related Activities was also approved. It aims to strengthen maritime safety and establish a single, streamlined, updated and enabling legal instrument capable of providing greater regulatory capacity, avoiding the fragmentation of legislation, maximising revenue collection and strengthening the tax base, particularly in the oil and gas industry and the development of national maritime cabotage.

Presenting the proposal, Matlombe added that, over 18 months, the number of vessels operating in maritime cabotage had increased from two to 18, removing from the roads cargo that would otherwise have been transported by around 14,000 trucks. He also pointed to ongoing efforts to modernise national ports.