from ARMANDO DOMINGOS in Maputo, Mozambique
Mozambique Bureau
MAPUTO, (CAJ News) – THE former main opposition Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO), is battling infighting, as some senior members agitate for the removal of party president, Ossufo Momade.
This comes as the longtime rival of the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO), who romped to victory at the last general election, held in October 2024, a move that exposed RENAMO’s shortcomings.
The opposition bigwigs challenging the leadership of Momade, have been closing some party offices.
This includes the headquarters in the capital, Maputo, prompting the leader to intervene and go in person.
The delegation re-opened the headquarters.
“The joke is over,” he said after the reopening.
“We are not going to allow this to happen again.”
The party accused the disgruntled members as “cowardly” and having an agenda to destabilise the party.
RENAMO stated the disgruntled members were “denigrating the image of the party and President Momade in pursuit of dark ends.”
“The president was democratically elected in the Congress held last year,” said Carlos Samussone Maiela, RENAMO Maputo provincial political delegate.
The members in question are believed to have links with Sebastiao Chapepa, who claims to be a founder of RENAMO.
Momade (64) has led the party since 2019 after the death of Afonso Dhlakama.
RENAMO has intermittently acted as a rebel group of aggrieved and was involved in a civil war against FRELIMO.
The conflict ran from 1977 to 1992, with 1 million people dead.
RENAMO finished third in the 2024 disputed election won by Daniel Chapo and FRELIMO.
– CAJ News