Good afternoon. Ruling party Frelimo’s Political Commission was meeting today, in a location it tried to keep secret, apparently in an attempt to stop any leaks from coming out of the meeting. President Daniel Chapo was due to attend and was expected to be confronted about some of his plans to clean up government and cut costs. It will be Chapo’s first test of whether he can assert his authority as president and his independence from senior party figures.
As well as questioning Chapo’s choice of members of his cabinet, the meeting is likely to have brought up his plans to reduce waste and corruption by cutting privileges for members of the government and reforming the awarding of public contracts, many of which are currently given out to companies linked to senior party figures. Commission members did not look pleased when Chapo laid out his intentions during his inaugural speech on Wednesday.
Sources close to Chapo say that he looks determined to insist on appointing his cabinet choices, although at least some commission members are unhappy with them. Constitutionally, he can appoint who he wants without the approval of his party. But he has already delayed the announcement of his cabinet by one day in order to allow the commission meeting to take place (although he has had his new government ministries published in the official gazette already).
Meanwhile, if Chapo wants to signal a break with the past, he could do something about the ongoing killing of opposition party activists. Yesterday saw the shooting dead of Podemos party supporter Sandes António in Sofala province, one of a long list of victims who have apparently been targeted in cold blood, separately from the demonstrations sparked by the disputed election results.
There is still no information about who is directing these killings, and the extent to which they are connected. But the fact that the killers continue to operate with impunity, and the police have not arrested any suspects, will fuel suspicion that the security forces are behind them. It would not be the first time that opposition party supporters have been targeted for assassination.
Evidently Chapo’s rise to power has not put an end to the crimes. If he is serious about taking on vested interests, then he needs to show that the law protects opposition supporters as well as Frelimo ones.
The latest from Zitamar News:

Agenda:
- Today: Former finance minister Manuel Chang sentenced after being convicted of financial crimes related to the so-called “hidden debts” scandal, US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, 11.30am local time
- Today: destruction of ballot papers used in 9 October general election
- Today: Frelimo Political Commission meeting with President Daniel Chapo to discuss the new Mozambican cabinet
Today’s headlines:
- Mondlane promises no more demonstrations for now (TVI)
- Podemos delegate killed in Sofala (Lusa)
- Death toll during Chapo’s inauguration rises to 11 (Lusa)
- Chapo restructures government ministries (O País, Notícias, STV)
- Pastor arrested after protesting against Chapo (Integrity)
- US anti-AIDS programme under threat after abortions in Mozambique (Reuters)
- More bodies found in gold mine collapse (O País, Lusa)
Mondlane promises no more demonstrations for now (TVI)
Opposition politician Venâncio Mondlane is to call on the government to carry out certain measures in his next broadcast, instead of calling for more demonstrations. Mondlane told Portuguese private television station TVI that he wanted the measures to be implemented in three months, otherwise he might call for more street demonstrations
The measures Mondlane is proposing are expected to coincide with what the Chapo administration labels as their 99 measures for the first 100 days in government. Mondlane’s softer tone indicates that he is optimistic about a potential agreement with Chapo. After a meeting with the three opposition parties represented in parliament on Monday, Mondlane had a meeting with the leadership of opposition party Podemos on Thursday, the party that supported his presidential campaign. Sources close to the meeting are suggesting that the two sides are working to overcome recent differences expressed over Albino Forquila’s decision to have the 43 newly elected Podemos members of parliament take their seats, contrary to Mondlane’s wishes, while the Renamo and MDM parties boycotted the ceremony.
Podemos delegate killed in Sofala (Lusa)
A delegate for opposition party Podemos in the district of Buzi, Sofala province, was shot dead in his home at dawn on Thursday. Sandes António, aged 30, was shot three times, in the head, chest and back, according to a Podemos member in Buzi, who said that António had sent them a message at 1am complaining that his house was surrounded by police. The provincial police spokesman said that the authorities were still gathering information about the crime.
Death squads have been very busy across the country, mainly at night, killing activists identified as leaders of the ongoing demonstrations protesting against electoral fraud.