Poderes, direitos e cidadania: O ‘retorno’ das autoridades tradicionais em Moçambique

The cultural heterogeneity of Mozambique is reflected in different forms of social regulation, represented by the presence of non-official conflict resolution bodies. This article aims to discuss the challenges facing Mozambique in constructing a multicultural and democratic justice system. The experiences of forms of community justice reveal the creativity and vitality of alternative forms of justice and their decision to defend ‘their’ justice as a political project. At the same time, the diversity of these bodies is indicative of the disputes and power games faced by a state which, to a certain extent, recognises the presence of other jurisdictions, establishing a complex interplay of interlegalities. As a whole, this work reveals some of the paradoxes of ongoing multicultural reforms, opening up the field to a broader discussion of forms of citizenship with an emphasis on inclusion, conviviality, celebration and difference