What You Need to Know
Workers at Quissico Municipal Council in Mozambique have gone on strike due to unpaid wages for four months and the lack of a traditional year-end bonus. They attribute the issue to the central government’s failure to disburse funds, leading to a critical situation for both employees and municipal revenue collection.
Africa-Press – Mozambique. The employees of Quissico Municipal Council, in the southern Mozambican province of Inhambane, have decided to go on strike in pursuit of four months wages, which they claim are in arrears.
The strikers, who are also demanding the payment of the traditional end-of-year bonus, known as “the 13th month”, claim that they have not received their wages since December.
“We haven’t received our wages for four months. Since December we haven’t received anything, including the 13th month. Our situation is one of growing despair”, a source said, cited by the independent newsheet “Carta de Moçambique.”
The strikers believe that problem does not directly result from the management of the Municipal Council, but rather from the failure of the central government to disburse funds for the municipalities.
They claim that the Municipal Compensation Fund (FCA), which is a financial mechanism through which municipalities pay salaries to their employees, but which depends on transfers from the central government, has been empty.
“The last disbursement of funds occurred in August 2025, with the municipality resorting to local revenues to guarantee the payment of wages until November. Since then, the situation has become unsustainable. From August onwards, there has been no disbursement from the Municipal Compensation Fund, nor from the Roads or Investment Fund. The Municipal Council did everything possible until November, but at this moment there are no conditions to continue”, said one of the employees.
The Mayor of Quissico, Abílio Paulo, confirmed the seriousness of the situation, acknowledging the strain faced by the workers and the impact on municipal revenue collection.
“As a leader, I feel uncomfortable with this situation. We’ve already had two days with activities halted, and this also means loss in revenue”, he said.
The Mayor assured that the case has already been reported to the competent authorities. “Those responsible are already aware of the matter, and there is hope that there will be disbursements within two days.”
This is not the first municipality to go on strike as result of delays in wage payments. Recently, the employees of Angoche Municipal Council, in the northern province of Nampula, paralyzed activities in pursuit of six months arrears in wages.
In Mozambique, municipal workers often face challenges related to delayed wage payments, primarily due to insufficient funding from the central government. The Municipal Compensation Fund, crucial for salary disbursements, has faced significant shortfalls, impacting local governance and employee morale. Strikes have become a common response among municipal employees seeking timely compensation and financial stability, reflecting broader issues within the country’s fiscal management and local governance.
