BREAKING NEWS

Armando Guebuza resigned as President of Mozambique’s ruling Frelimo Party shortly after 11.00 on Sunday morning, on the final day of a meeting of the Frelimo Central Committee.

Frelimo spokesperson Damiao Jose, the Central Committee Secretary for Mobilisation and Propaganda, told reporters that Guebuza’s announcement “took the members of the Central Committee by surprise”. Nonetheless, the Central Committee accepted the resignation and immediately set up an elections commission to organize the election of a successor.According to Jose, Guebuza said that he had thought deeply on the matter, and had decided to resign as President in order to strengthen Frelimo’s unity and cohesion.As of midday, the only candidate for the vacant position was the President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi, although other candidates could still be presented before the election is held, later on Sunday afternoon.If, as seems likely, Nyusi is the only candidate, Frelimo will have reverted to its historic practice whereby the same person is both President of the Republic and President of Frelimo.Guebuza also announced his resignation as chairperson of the Association of Veterans of the National Liberation Struggle (ACLLN). Jose said that Guebuza will remain a member of the Frelimo Political Commission, just as last year Filipe Paunde retained his Political commission position after resigning as Frelimo General Secretary.