Biographical Notes of Iolanda Seuane

The wide territory bathed by the Indian Ocean, was still a Portuguese overseas province. At the time, there was a liberation movement, which sought to end the colonial regime by force of arms. That scenario did not prevent Paulino Cintura and Rosa Cruz Meque of having to child in the district of Vila Pery, current  province of Manica.

The daughter of the couple born on October 24, 1972 and was registered under the name Iolanda Pedro Campos Cintura.

It was in Pery town, where Iolanda spent the first eight years of her childhood and the first years of schooling. Note that the name Pery town changed to Manica, shortly after Mozambique became independent in 1975.

Iolanda Cintura lived for two years in the city of Beira, with her relatives. In the provincial capital of Sofala, she attended and completed elementary education at Macurungo Elementary School. Then she traveled to the Mozambican capital. In Maputo, she started secondary education at Francisco Manyanga School, which ended in 1989.

Shy girl, then teenager has always opted for a simple life. Her clothing was informal. She felt good with jeans and a t-shirt.

The shyness made her go through internal conflict. She became to the military on the basketball team of the Costa de Sol as a way to finish with shyness and socializing with people, but she failed.

Even at that time, she dreamed of being a doctor to save lives. However, his passion for chemistry spoke louder. Iolanda decided to leave the dream of childhood and to follow the course of Chemical Engineering. She attended the course at Eduardo Mondlane University, where in 1999, she obtained a bachelor’s degree.

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With bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Cintura intended to work in an industry and / or laboratory, but she went to work in an area with no relation to her academic training.

The professional career of Iolanda Cintura was mainly done in the Ministry of Energy (current Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy).

At that institution she held the position of head of the Department of Fuels (2000-2003); Deputy National Director of Energy (2003-2004), and National Director of Fuels (2004-2010).

However, it should be noted that after graduating, the engineer continued her studies, participating in various training courses, in the following specializations: certified by the Norwegian Petroleum Institute, in Economics and Management of Petroleum, in 1999; certified by the Washington Department of Energy, Gender and Energy, in 2001; Professional certificate, by the Higher Institute of Public Administration of Maputo, in 2007; and a certificate in Leadership and Strategic Development in 2011.

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A political career has never been among Iolanda Cintura’s plans. However, at the age of 37, she was invited to direct the Ministry of Women and Social Action (now the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Action) in 2010 after the 2009 general elections.

Cintura was surprised and shocked by the invitation. She spent sleepless nights and even cried because of the fear that dominated her. After receiving moral support from the family (husband and children), she accepted the invitation and the new challenge, even because she could not refuse the mission to serve the Motherland.

It was in that ministry, where Iolanda adopted a new way of dressing. She went on to investigate further and cultivated a taste for capulana as a way to adjust to her new roles and identify as Mozambican woman.

On 15 October 2015, the V General Elections were held in Mozambique. The suffrage gave rise to a new Government, led by Filipe Nyusi. In the new cycle of governance, Iolanda Cintura was nominated for the position of Governing of the Maputo city, the Mozambican capital and the main financial, corporate and mercantile center of the country.

The leader is the mother of a girl and a boy, and is married with Mário Seuane, as a wife, she adapted her husband’s surname and her full name has become: Iolanda Maria Pedro Campos Cintura Seuane.