[4][5] Although Guebuza offered no official reason for Munguambe's dismissal from office,[6] various news reports suggested[4][7] that it was tied to the transportation-related riots in Maputo in February that caused between four[8] and six deaths.
[9] The riots were sparked by increases of up to 50 percent in the fares for the chapas (privately owned minibus taxis)[10] that account for a significant portion of the capital's passenger transport.
[11] The hike was negotiated by Munguambe and the Federation of Road Transport Associations[4] following an increase in the fuel costs[9] (the government raised the price of diesel by 14 percent on January 23).
[11] On February 6, the government rescinded the fares increase,[13] and in exchange promised to provide fuel subsidies to licensed transport operators, so that they could in effect purchase diesel at the price prior to January 23 (31.0 meticais per litre, as opposed to 35.35 per litre).
[8][12][14] Munguambe was imprisoned in 2010 for his part in embezzling $1.7 million from state-owned airports company Aeroportos de Moçambique.