New names in Frelimo brigades: Nyusi’s starting lineup – Mozambique

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New names in Frelimo brigades: Nyusi’s starting lineup – Mozambique

7:54 CAT | 12 Oct 2016

O País

Sergio Pantie is the only new face in Filipe Nyusi’s starting 11 approved at the third extraordinary session of the Central Committee. The Pantie entry in the list of heads of central Frelimo brigades is due to the departure of Carvalho Muária, who is to lead the party in Niassa.

In fact, this is the only substitution made by Filipe Nyusi, who has decided rather to bet on repositioning the members of the Political Committee. The only one who has kept his position is Filipe Paúnde, who continues to oversee the party machine in Nampula, Frelimo’s largest constituency.

To Zambezia, the second largest constituency, the party sends Alberto Vaquina, who will replace Esperança Bias, also a member of the Political Committee.

Vaquina leaves Gaza – a traditional Frelimo stronghold – for a province dominated by the opposition. If Paúnde and Alberto Vaquina survive the 11th Frelimo Congress, they will face the challenge of recovering two provincial capitals (and Gurúè) from the MDM in the 2018 municipal elections.

For Sofala, another headache for the ruling party, Nyusi appointed moderate Eneas Comiche, to replace the outgoing fighter Alberto Chipande. Assisted by Carvalho Muária, Comiche leaves Inhambane – another Frelimo stronghold – for half-hostile ground, whose capital, Beira, is in the hands of the MDM. Chipande goes to Tete, where he replaces Margarida Talapa, who goes to Maputo, another MDM-coveted city.

Verónica Macamo moves to Gaza from Maputo province, while José Pacheco leaves disputed Zambezia for Niassa, one of the provinces without major political clashes. José Pantie debuts in Manica as head of the central brigade, after having served as deputy to Pacheco in Zambezia. Conceita Sortane leaves the bustling capital and goes to tranquil Cabo Delgado, bringing Eduardo Mulémbwè down to turbulent Maputo province, where tranquility is not to be taken for granted with the opposition eyeing Matola so keenly.

Vaquina (Zambezia) and Corniche (Sofala) will have to tailor their speeches to the ongoing political and military tension, while Talapa faces the challenge of refining his language to reach the capital’s middle classes, awash with their own economic and financial crises.

Source: O País