Maputo, 16 Aug (AIM) – The chairperson of the Mozambican Confederation of Business Associations (CTA), Agostinho Vuma, claims that most of the cases of kidnapping that have been plaguing the country’s cities have not been solved, although the authorities claim to have identified some of the masterminds.
According to Vuma, who was speaking in Maputo, on Wednesday, at an economic meeting aimed at discussing the situation of the private sector, since the kidnappings began in 2011, the CTA has recorded over 250 cases of kidnappings. The victims have been mostly business people and members of their families, particularly those of Asian origin.
Also on Wednesday, the Mozambican authorities presented to the media an alleged mastermind of the kidnappings. The 66 year old woman, who was not named, was introduced as the former mother-in-law of Momad Assife Abdul Satar (better known as Nini Satar) who was one of those sentenced to lengthy prison terms for ordering the assassination of the country’s foremost investigative journalist, Carlos Cardoso, in November 2000.
“In the first half of 2024 alone, there were 15 kidnappings, and some of the victims are still in captivity”, said Vuma. “This heightens the state of danger, insecurity, terror and unease among members of the business class and some of them are abandoning the country”.
Vuma told the businesses of Asian origin that abandoning the country does not appear to be a way out, considering that “most of them, despite the color of their skins, are Mozambicans. They must not give up their nationality.”
He said the CTA has been carrying out various advocacy activities with the government and bringing together all the business associations with a direct interest in the matter, which has resulted in the production of a series of proposals for action to eradicate kidnapping.
“The CTA has been trying to put forward some proposals for solutions to increase confidence in doing business and investments”, he said. “We appreciate the statement given by President Filipe Nyusi, in his Annual State of the Nation Address, in which he said measures are underway to combat this serious evil that affects the business environment”.
“We expect to see strategic measures to maintain an attractive macro-economic environment for the business sector, with more structural policies to control inflation, a continuous slowdown in interest rates, exchange rate stability and a reduction in the tax burden on the business community”, Vuma added.
(AIM)
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