The Standing Commission of the Mozambican Parliament announced on Friday that the foundation stone for the future Parliamentary City of Mocuba, in Zambézia province, will be laid on 19 October, marking the start of construction of the new headquarters of the Mozambican Parliament.
“The good news we bring is that construction will go ahead and that the groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for the 19th [of October], with around 2,000 guests,” said Manuel Ramessane, spokesperson for the Standing Commission of the Assembly of the Republic.
Speaking to journalists at the end of an ordinary session of the Standing Commission, which considered, among other matters, information concerning the groundbreaking ceremony for the Parliamentary City of Mocuba, Ramessane said preparatory work was already under way on the site ahead of the start of construction.
Asked about the contractor responsible, the overall budget and the duration of the works, Manuel Ramessane said only that the aim is to enable Parliament to begin operating in Mocuba during the current parliamentary term.
“There is a team. It is true that this is Parliament property, but there is State involvement and there is a Government and Parliament team on the ground preparing for the laying of the foundation stone,” Ramessane said.
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Lusa previously reported that Mozambique had planned to begin construction of the Parliamentary City of Mocuba in the second quarter of 2026.
According to supporting documents for the 2026 Economic and Social Plan and State Budget (PESOE), an allocation of 500.9 million meticais (€6.7 million) has been earmarked for the project.
Photo: Assembleia da República de Moçambique
The plan provides for the construction of a parliamentary complex with infrastructure to accommodate Parliament, offices, legislative research centres, chambers, residential areas for MPs and public servants, as well as spaces for interaction with civil society and digital platforms to promote participatory democracy.
In July 2025, Mozambican President Daniel Chapo argued that the future national parliamentary headquarters should be built in Mocuba, citing the strategy of decentralising State institutions as justification for the choice.
“Mocuba was chosen not only because of its strategic geographical position, but because of its symbolic nature. It is where the roads cross and the country embraces itself, it is the point where the north, centre and south of Mozambique meet. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that it should be the place where the major national decisions are taken,” the Head of State said at the time, during a public rally in Zambézia.
According to Daniel Chapo, the territorial redistribution of national institutions should contribute to more balanced development across the country.
“The project, still at the preliminary design stage, should be implemented in phases and with the support of public-private partnerships,” said a statement from the Presidency of the Republic at the time, adding that the plan also includes the construction of a National Institute for Parliamentary Studies.
In addition to advocating Mocuba as the parliamentary capital, Chapo has argued that each province should host a specific national function, according to its historical, economic, cultural or geographical characteristics.
The Head of State said he believed “that this functional redistribution will help ease pressure on Maputo, boost the growth of other regions and consolidate a plural, inclusive and interconnected national identity”.
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