Mozambique: President set to consolidate power within Frelimo

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Mozambique: President set to consolidate power within Frelimo

7:37 CAT | 19 Jan 2016

Presidency of Mozambique / Filipe Nyusi.

Filipe Nyusi has the opportunity to break the historical hegemony of the nation’s founders at the next session of the Frelimo Central Committee, according to analysts interviewed by VOA.

But the challenge might be thorny. At a local level, youth structures question how Frelimo governs and want to take more of a lead in the political process. How will interest groups resistant towards accepting youth in the leadership of the party and the country react?

Analyst Fernando Gonçalves says that the February session of the Frelimo Central Committee present President Nyusi with the difficult task of reconciling estranged Frelimo members.

Tomás Rondinho says that the meeting will be an opportunity for Nyusi to consolidate his power in the party through the election of a new secretariat and advises senior figures in Frelimo to allow him to get on with the work without interfering.

“Former presidents Armando Guebuza and Joaquim Chissano, as well as General Alberto Chipande, cannot think that Nyusi is incapable, simply because he is young They must trust in the abilities of youth.”

In the upcoming session, secretaries for the different areas of party governance are expected to be replaced, with the possibility of a new Secretary General being appointed. The current Secretary General dates from the Guebuza era.

However, academic Luis Matuse believes that much of what is expected of this session may not materialize because of Frelimo’s strict discipline and the strong appeal of the collective.

Internal politics aside, it is hoped in many quarters that this special session will examine the issue of social exclusion, a problem affecting the large number of Mozambicans who live in extreme poverty.

Source: VOA Portugues