Participatory Land Governance in Mozambique: Brief Review of the Legal Framework and the Implementation Challenge

Abstract A commitment to democracy and popular participation in the national development has been a central principle in all Mozambican Constitutions and a consistent directive in government policies and laws. To test the extent to which this principle has been materialized in the land sector, this paper provides a general overview of Mozambique’s recent history and the role reserved for land in the formation of the state and in materialization of democratic governance. The paper concludes that more than any other factor, political party interference in public affairs has shaped the identity and performance of the Mozambican state, setting the stage for a complex interaction between the government, local people and private investors that has jeopardized the great potential of the national land policy and law to promote effective and sustainable participatory development processes.