Civil Society in the context of Municipal Governance in Mozambique

In Mozambique, the institutionalization of Local Authorities in 1997 meant, albeit hypothetically, a broadening of opportunities for participation of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in governance. An analysis of the dynamics of CSO intervention in the context of municipal governance in the city of Pemba, based on the policy network approach, made it possible to verify that their role has been summarized in actions of consultation and mobilization of the citizens for various agendas; in the production of evidence through research aimed at influencing public policies; in the implementation of development projects in partnership with the executive and provision of specialized technical assistance to make some initiatives feasible at municipal level, while the component of monitoring and evaluation of governance is the least privileged. Among other measures, the creation of a municipal observatory is suggested, in which the CSOs may exercise greater influence in various areas of local governance; there was also a need for the CSOs to strengthen their institutional capacity for internal governance and monitoring of municipal management.