President Daniel Chapo has placed the fight against kidnappings and drug trafficking at the heart of his government’s security agenda, announcing reinforced operations during a public rally in Matutuíne that marked the start of his three-day working visit to Maputo Province.
Addressing community members, the Head of State highlighted the battle against kidnappings, drug trafficking and consumption, corruption, and other practices that undermine public safety and wellbeing.
Chapo affirmed that while defence and security institutions lead the fight against crime, citizen participation is equally indispensable for preventing and reporting criminal acts.
“Your message spoke of something very important: that we need to fight crime, and we will continue to work,” he declared.
KIDNAPPINGS AND DRUGS “CANNOT COEXIST WITH US”
The President singled out kidnappings and the involvement of individuals in drug consumption and sales, arguing that these phenomena must not be accepted as normal in communities.
“This is our task, because these evils cannot coexist with us and we cannot continue to find this normal,” Chapo said.
He expressed particular concern about drug consumption among young people in Matutuíne, with emphasis on suruma, a locally prevalent substance. He appealed to the community to take an active stance in preventing this phenomenon.
The President’s emphasis on kidnappings comes as Mozambique has recorded 11 consecutive months without a confirmed kidnapping case, a milestone Chapo has repeatedly highlighted since October 2025.
“THE BEST POLICE IS THE PEOPLE”
Chapo argued that building safe communities requires unity, vigilance, and work, placing the population at the centre of crime prevention efforts.
“For this to happen, we must do three main things: there must be unity among us, Mozambican brothers; there must be vigilance. In any country in the world, the best police is its people. We must all be vigilant,” he stated.
The President linked security to economic and social development, arguing that peace, justice, and security must walk hand in hand with the work of citizens, including those engaged in fishing, agriculture, and informal commerce.
He called for the preservation of national unity and the rejection of violence, disinformation, and hate speech, defending that political, religious, and social differences should not prevent peaceful coexistence among Mozambicans.
SECURITY AS A PRECONDITION FOR DEVELOPMENT
The Matutuíne rally is part of Chapo’s Proximity, Participatory and Inclusive Governance agenda, which includes community meetings, gatherings with government structures, and monitoring of local development initiatives.
Chapo has consistently framed security as a prerequisite for economic development. At Victory Day celebrations earlier in September, he declared: “We cannot build factories where there is insecurity. We cannot increase production where there is fear. We cannot attract investment where there is no stability”.
The President has also reiterated his goal of a Mozambique “free of kidnappings, free of terrorism, free of money laundering, and free of drug trafficking”.