Nyusi drops his finance minister

Maputo, 9 Aug (AIM) – Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Thursday relieved Max Tonela of his duties as Minister of Economy and Finance.

That job is now taken by Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane, who will hold the two posts simultaneously.

This is not the first time Maleiane has been Minister of Economy and Finance. He held the post from 2015 to 2022, when he was appointed Prime Minister. He was governor of the Bank of Mozambique from 1991 and 2006.

Tonela was Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy in Nyusi’s first government. He is widely regarded as a highly competent minister, and it was not immediately clear why Nyusi has dropped him.

As is usual with government changes, the Presidential dispatch announcing them gave no reasons.

One looming financial crisis concerns the presidential, parliamentary and provincial elections scheduled for 9 October. Paulo Cuinica, spokesperson for the National Elections Commission (CNE), has warned that the CNE does not have enough money to run the elections properly.

In particular, the CNE is unable to pay the subsidies to which the political parties contesting the elections are entitled.

Even more worrying was a warning from the general commander of the Mozambican police, Bernadino Rafael, that the police force (PRM) does not have enough money to guarantee full protection of the elections.

The official election campaign will start on 25 August. If the police cannot cover all the election rallies and parades that will be held, there is a strong risk of violence.

(AIM)

Pf/ (254)