The theatrical banquet of Inatro in the house of King Matlombe

Paulo Vilanculo"

Mozambique is a country of brutal contrasts: wealth and extreme poverty coexist under the same sky. On the stage of INATRO, the National Road Transport Institute, the curtain rises on a spectacle of waste. INATRO sent a delegation, including the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Inspector General of the institute, to Nampula. According to reports, plane tickets were purchased for all members of the delegation, at unspecified costs. However, upon arriving in the city, they discovered that the appointments scheduled for the inauguration of a new leader had not been confirmed. A purposeless trip, plane tickets paid for by the public treasury, and zero return to society—a true spectacle of mismanagement, worthy of applause only among those within the administration itself.

The nomination of King Matlombe is not random; it reflects the vision of the harmful management of public affairs that does not defer to the governance of a king, of the anarchist monarchy, which is characterized by the concentration of absolute power, where his will is sovereign.The title "Inatro, King Matlombe's Theater House" serves as a metaphor for questioning public spending in Mozambique. INATRO, "King Matlombe's Theater House," is the perfect metaphor for a country where administrative luxury overshadows the needs of the people. The play is already critical, but remains unmoved by the Minister who "shines" with scandals, with the impunity that has prevailed, valuing extravagances over meeting the real needs of the population. Each scandal that breaks out is applauded internally, while offstage, the population suffers from the successive negligence.

INATRO invested approximately 113 million meticais in the installation of a new driver's license processing center, in partnership with Muhl Bauer High Tech International. This episode serves as a reminder of the urgent need for public management reforms, with an emphasis on transparency, accountability, and efficient use of state resources. The incident involving the INATRO delegation in Nampula, combined with other superfluous and poorly planned expenditures, highlights the prevalence of "administrative luxuries," a widespread feeling of ineffective management by the Minister responsible. Cases like that of the INATRO delegation reinforce the perception that resources intended for the public good are frequently diverted to personal or group interests, undermining the country's development and citizens' trust in its institutions. The occurrence of official trips without a clear purpose and the persistence of corrupt practices fuel a cycle of distrust between the public and public institutions.

The inability to coordinate agendas, as in the case of the trip to Nampula, suggests disorganized management, lacking planning or efficient control over processes and official delegations. Every decision, every useless trip, and every superfluous expense becomes a testament to a disconnect with social reality, eroding public trust and fueling feelings of injustice among citizens who struggle daily to survive in a country of enormous shortages. The lack of clear explanations about the costs, objectives, and results of such trips fuels the feeling that public resources are being used opaquely and irresponsibly. Beyond the financial aspect, there is a symbolic and theatrical political dimension that reflects a disconnect between leaders and citizens, fueling feelings of injustice and distrust in public management. This episode not only reveals the mismanagement of the minister in charge but also exposes the insensitivity of the state, which remains silent in the face of repeated scandals, allowing impunity and ostentation to prevail.

“Ministers who are embroiled in scandals remain on the scene, the State watches and does nothing.”

INATRO, as "King Matlombe's theater house," demonstrates that Mozambique is a true spectacle of purposeless entourages, scandalous ministers, and decisions that are unethical. The opulence of the stage contrasts with the poverty of the stands, reminding us that, until priorities are realigned, the public will continue to pay dearly for the entertainment of a few, while the vast majority struggle to survive. The spectacle takes on an even darker tone when one observes the Council of Ministers' complacency, coldly watching and legislating outside the bounds of ethics and the dignity of public affairs. The reflection that is needed is clear: Mozambique needs conscious and responsible decisions that prioritize collective well-being.

The lack of action in the face of abuses highlights an insensitivity to the real hardships of ordinary citizens, who struggle daily with basic needs, while public resources are misappropriated or misused. By failing to take action against a minister whose actions repeatedly generate financial and administrative scandals, the state may convey the message that impunity is tolerated, devaluing the principle of public accountability. Keeping "scandalous" ministers in office creates a precedent that excellence in public service is not required and that notoriety for scandals is socially tolerated, eroding trust in state institutions. Failure to dismiss ministers who repeatedly commit episodes of misconduct discredits both the government and the head of state himself, weakening legitimacy and moral authority. In the popular imagination, "silence can be seen as complicity" when one chooses not to punish, allowing practices harmful to the community to continue to thrive.

INATRO has become another stage for excesses, a new gold mine for the lapping of public resources, just as we saw recently with LAM's tourist excursion abroad, with no concrete plans for the country. For ordinary citizens, these episodes reinforce the idea that the Minister lacks adequate oversight and that political and administrative decisions are made without discretion, undermining public trust in institutions. The National Road Transport Institute continues to be a stage for public extravagances, symbolized by the "ghost" delegation sent to Nampula, which returned without performing any official duties. "King Matlombe" thus becomes a metaphor for power reveling while the people struggle for survival.

2025/12/3