Frelimo Sacks Its Entire Leadership in Gaza

By Paul Fauvet

Maputo (MOZTIMES) - The Political Committee of Mozambique’s ruling Frelimo Party has sacked the entire Party leadership in the southern province of Gaza.

The sackings ordered by the Political Commission are at every level – from party branches to the Gaza provincial Frelimo committee.

According to a report in the daily paper “O Pais”, the decision was taken at a meeting of the Political Commission on 29 May, held in the resort of Macaneta in Maputo province.

Dismissing the party leadership in an entire province is quite unprecedented. New inner-party elections must now be held throughout the Frelimo structures in Gaza.

Gaza is a Frelimo stronghold, and all the parliamentary seats in the province are held by Frelimo. Despite this, Frelimo has gone through a turbulent period in Gaza, which party members cited by “O Pais” say has dragged on for four or five years.

At the centre of the crisis is the Frelimo First Provincial Secretary, Daniel Matavele, who is accused of nepotism. His critics accuse Matavele of including relatives and acquaintances on the list of Frelimo candidates for the 2024 parliamentary elections, including his son, Ivan Matavele.

In the period leading up to new elections, Frelimo in Gaza will be run by a brigade sent to the province by the central party leadership. “The head of the Central Brigade will direct the province until the election of new party bodies”, says a guide issued by the Political Commission.

The intention, the Commission said, is “to promote profound changes in the internal functioning of the organisation”. The guidelines distributed by the Commission stress the need to encourage the participation of members, and to discourage practices which damage inner-party democracy.

There will be meetings and conferences at all levels of party organisation, from the branches up to the provincial conference that will elect the new Gaza leadership.

Earlier this year, senior officials in Gaza were accused of stealing relief goods intended for victims of flooding in the province. According to the National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic), those detained in connection with this scandal include the Xai-Xai District Administrator, and the director of the office of the provincial governor.

They were allegedly surprised on 22 February taking goods out of the warehouses of the Gaza branch of the Mozambican relief agency, the National Disaster Management Institute (INGD).

Some of the stolen goods were then found in private homes, including bales of second-hand clothing, mattresses and assorted foodstuffs, including maize flour, rice, sugar, beans and cooking oil.

Frelimo called for “exemplary punishment” for all those involved in the theft. (PF)