If not Nyusi, then who?

Frelimo's Central Committee prepares to meet next month, but is likely to dodge the question of succession

Good afternoon. The focus of the chaos caused by flooding has moved away from southern Mozambique today, with a section of the N7 highway between Manica and Tete being washed away. It’s a crucial route linking the Port of Beira with Tete and neighbouring countries in the hinterland; work is underway to repair the road, and a temporary workaround is in place.

In Cabo Delgado, people travelling a treacherous stretch of the main north-south road have had their journeys interrupted by the River Messalo overflowing the road bridge there. People are understandably afraid that they are sitting ducks while waiting for the road to become passable again.

And Frelimo has called a meeting of its Central Committee, for next month, as we had predicted. The party will be preparing for municipal elections later this year, and refining its position on whether district elections should happen next year; what should not be discussed is who will contest the next presidential elections under the red banner. But they can’t put the decision off forever: if not Nyusi, then who?

---

Agenda:

• Today: XIX Military Health Meeting of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (ESM/CPLP), held at the Clube Militar in Maputo city

• Tomorrow: ‘Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2030: Lessons from Mozambique’, online and in Addis Ababa, organised by the African Union with Chatham House; Filipe Nyusi among the speakers. For more information and to register click here

---

From the Zitamar Live Blog:

Join the discussion on Telegram or view on our website

Frelimo's Political Commission yesterday called a meeting of the party's Central Committee, to be held on the 24th and 25th of March 2023, at the Frelimo Central School in Matola (for more detail, see item below)

A section of the N7 trunk road, which connects the port of Beira with Tete and hinterland countries, has been washed away by flooding near Catandica

However, work is already underway to repair it

---

Also in the news:

• Galp looks to sell its stake in Cabo Delgado gas project

• Flooding cuts roads in Cabo Delgado

• Ruby exploration licensed in Niassa

• Authorities warn of risk of flooding in Gaza

• Frelimo schedules Central Committee meeting for March