Venâncio Mondlane has been barred from running for the presidency of the Renamo party, after the party's National Council set new eligibility criteria. The new rules, approved at the last meeting, stipulate that any candidate for the party presidency must have at least 15 years of continuous membership, as well as having held prominent positions within the party structure, such as being a member of the National Council.
These conditions come at a critical moment for Mondlane, who, despite being a prominent figure within the party, does not meet the requirement of 15 years of uninterrupted membership. The decision has fuelled speculation that the measure was a strategy to block his candidacy. However, Renamo spokesman José Manteigas denied that the criteria were specifically drawn up to exclude Mondlane, claiming that these standards had already been established since the sixth National Council.
In addition, it was announced that Renamo's National Congress will take place on 15 and 16 May, in Zambézia province, where these and other issues will be discussed in greater depth.
