Luísa Dias Diogo: Gender and Political Leadership in Mozambique

Luísa Diogo, prime minister of Mozambique from 2004 to 2010, was the first female head of state in Lusophone Africa. When she was appointed in February of 2004, Mozambique, no longer a one-party state, was moving firmly in the direction of democratic consolidation as a post-transition democracy. I suggest that Diogo may have been a beneficiary, perhaps directly and indirectly, of the efforts of women to change/challenge gender norms during the struggle for independence and beyond. The success of the challenges to gender norms directly shaped the gendered power relations within party organizations, cultural and political norms and views of women who participate in the decision-making process. Thus while the Mozambican state has articulated a commitment to gender symmetry, the above factors have shaped Diogo’s tenure as prime minister. Although Diogo had some success in shoring up the gender machinery and formulating policies, their implementation continues to be hampered by cultural norms and circumscribed by adherence to party line.