Autoridade tradicional e o chamado desenvolvimento comunitário: o caso do posto administrativo de Magude-Sede, no período 1999-2003

Abstract

After the end of the armed conflict that ravaged the country for a period of 16 years, which opposed the then FRELIMO government on the one hand and the RENAMO guerilla on the other, a series of discussions began in 1992 in the country. called itself “Traditional Authority”. Although this socio-cultural and political institution was put aside on academic agendas soon after independence in 1975, as early as 1992, it was considered that its “replacement” would be, in part, one of several alternatives for the solution of the enormous “ social crisis” that the country was experiencing at the time with special reference to rural communities. This work presents and debates the “themes” of traditional authority and community participation, their different interpretations, evolution, their theoretical and political-ideological framework, in view of the processes of development in general and of community development in particular. Based on the analysis of a “concrete” community development project, in this work, some considerations are made about the forms of participation of the traditional authority (traditional leaders) in development projects (community), their relations, articulations. manipulations and room for maneuver with the other social actors involved in the process, namely the NGOs, the government and the populations benefiting from the project. The study focuses on two rural communities in the Magudesede administrative post, namely the localities of Facasissa and Matchabuiane, in the district of Magude. Maputo province. Finally, we note that both in Facasissa and in Matchabuiana, there is actually a certain participation of traditional chiefs in community development programs or projects; despite being a participation in the “embryonic” stage. In the specific case of our object of study, (the livestock development project in Maputo Province), this participation is basically summarized in aspects such as: awareness and mobilization of communities in order to adhere to the project's initiatives or actions, indicated by part of the traditional heads of the sites and periods for the construction of project infrastructures, making sacrifices for the success of such initiatives, as well as ceremonies of inauguration of the same infrastructures, resolution of possible conflicts or problems that may occasionally arise in the project, either among the beneficiaries of the project, or among implementers (donors), and also coordinate and articulate the participation of institutions such as the local administration and other institutions in the various activities related to the project. The study also shows that this participation is perceived by traditional chiefs as a task or activity that should be remunerated, that is, traditional chiefs, in view of these projects, participate not only with the aim of promoting the well-being and development of their communities, but above all taking into account their personal and situational interests; hence, their participation in these community development actions is often conditional on the payment of certain considerations, whether in cash or other goods.