Factory to Assemble Computers in Maputo

Maputo — Mozambique is planning to install a computer assembling company before the end of this month, in a government initiative, in partnership with the South African company 'Sahara'.

The factory will assemble portable and desk top computers to be sold on the domestic market at a price equivalent to about a third of the international price. A portable computer currently costs about 1,000 US dollars, but the national product will cost between 9,000 and 10,000 meticais (360 to 400 dollars)

Speaking in Maputo on Wednesday, during a ceremony to present the plan, the Mozambican Science and Technology Minister, Venancio Massingue, said that the brand will be named "Dzowo", which was the nickname of the founder of Mozambican nationalism, Eduardo Mondlane, assassinated by the Portuguese secret police, the PIDE, 40 years ago. The government has decided to pay special tribute to the achievements of Mondlane in 2009.

For his part, Trade and Industry Minister Antonio Fernando said it will be possible to purchase the "Dzowo" computers through bank loans.
As for production capacity, the Maputo daily "Noticias" cites the ministers as saying that the factory will be able to produce about 48 units a day during the first year, but will expanded to about 80 units a day in the following year.

Sahara, a company specialising in manufacturing and assembling computers, is based in Johannesburg, but has also branches in other African countries,