Filipe Nyusi

Filipe Jacinto Nyusi (Portuguese pronunciation: [fiˈlipɨ ʒɐˈsĩtu ˈɲusi], born 9 February 1959), also spelled Nyussi,[2] is a Mozambican politician serving as the fourth President of Mozambique, in office since 2015. He previously served as Minister of Defence from 2008 to 2014. Nyusi was the candidate of the ruling party, Frelimo, in the 2014 presidential election.[3]

His Excellency

Filipe Nyusi
Filipe Nyusi in 2019
4th President of Mozambique
Assumed office
15 January 2015
Prime MinisterCarlos Agostinho do Rosário
Preceded byArmando Guebuza
Minister of National Defence
In office
27 March 2008 – 14 March 2014[1]
Preceded byTobias Joaquim Dai
Succeeded byAgostinho Mondlane
Personal details
Born (1959-02-09) 9 February 1959
Mueda, Portuguese Mozambique
NationalityMozambican
Political partyFRELIMO
Spouse(s)Isaura Nyusi
Children4
Alma mater
ProfessionMechanical engineer
Websitewww.nyusi.org.mz

Early life and career

He was born in Namau in Mueda District, Cabo Delgado Province, belonging to the Makonde ethnic group. Both his parents, were veterans of the liberation movement, Frelimo. At the start of the Mozambican War of Independence, he was taken across the Ruvuma River to neighbouring Tanzania, where he was educated at Frelimo Primary School in Tunduru. He pursued his secondary education at the Frelimo school at Mariri in Cabo Delgado and at Samora Machel Secondary School in Beira.[4]

In 1973, he joined Frelimo at the age of 14 and received political and military training at Nachingwea in Tanzania.[5]

In 1990, he completed his mechanical engineering degree at Antonín Zápotocký Military Academy (VAAZ) in Brno, Czechoslovakia, nowadays University of Defence (Czech Republic).[6] He also studied a postgraduate degree management at the Victoria University of Manchester in England.[7]

Prior to his appointment to the cabinet by President Armando Guebuza, Nyusi worked for the state-owned Mozambique Ports and Railways authority (CFM). He became executive director of CFM-Norte, the northern division of the company, in 1995,[8][9] and joined the company's board of directors in 2007.[10]

From 1993 to 2002, Nyusi served as President of Clube Ferroviário de Nampula,[11] a top-division football club based in Nampula. He is also a lecturer at the Nampula campus of the Universidade Pedagógica,[12] a fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative,[11] and a member of the National Committee of Fighters of the National Liberation Struggle (Portuguese: Comité Nacional dos Combatentes da Luta de Libertação Nacional).[13] He received further training in management in India, South Africa, Swaziland, and the United States.[12]

Political career, 2008–14
A section of the crowd at his final campaign rally in the capital Maputo.

Nyusi took office as Minister of Defence on 27 March 2008, succeeding Tobias Joaquim Dai.[14] Nyusi's appointment came almost exactly one year after a fire and resulting explosions of munitions at the Malhazine armoury in Maputo killed more than 100 people and destroyed 14,000 homes. A government-appointed investigative commission concluded that negligence played a role in the disaster, and Dai "was blamed by many for failing to act on time to prevent the loss of life".[15] Although no official reason was given for Dai's removal, it may have been a "delayed reaction" to the Malhazine disaster.[10]

In September 2012, Nyusi was elected to the Central Committee of Frelimo, the ruling party, at its 10th congress.[16]

2014 presidential campaign

On 1 March 2014, the Frelimo Central Committee elected Nyusi as the party's candidate for the 2014 presidential election. In the first round of voting, he received 46% of the vote—well ahead of the second place candidate, Luisa Diogo, but short of the majority needed to win outright. He defeated Diogo in the second round with 68% to her 31%. Although Nyusi was regarded as relatively obscure compared to the other candidates,[16] he was the candidate most closely identified with President Guebuza. It was generally believed that the selection of Nyusi as Frelimo's candidate would enable Guebuza, who was required to step down due to term limits, to retain substantial power after leaving office. Diogo, the defeated candidate, was associated with opposition to Guebuza within the party.[17]

2019 presidential campaign

President Filipe Nyusi and his Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) party have won a landslide victory in the gas-rich southern African nation in an election the opposition branded a "mega fraud".[18]

Presidency (2015–present)
Nyusi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, 22 August 2019

The inauguration of Filipe Nyusi as the 4th President took place on 15 January 2015. The ceremony was attended by five foreign Heads of State.

Personal life

Nyusi is a member of the Makonde ethnic community.[19] He is married to Isaura Nyusi and has four children, Jacinto, Florindo, Claudia and Angelino.[20][21]

References
  1. "Profile: Incumbent Minister of Defense". Ministério da Defesa Nacional República de Moçambique. March 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  2. Hanlon, Joseph (1 March 2014). "Filipe Nyussi to be Frelimo presidential candidate" (PDF). Mozambique News Reports & Clippings. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  3. Simon, Allison (3 March 2014). "Meet the next president of Mozambique: Filipe Nyussi". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
  4. "Filipe Nyussi elected Frelimo presidential candidate". Mozambique News Agency. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  5. "Backgrounder: Mozambique's three presidential candidates". Xinhuanet. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  6. "Filipe Nyusi". Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  7. "Mozambique Presidential candidate profiles". SABC. 29 September 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  8. "Mozambique; Train Crash Caused By Negligence". allAfrica.com. 5 October 2002.
  9. "Mozambique". Africa South of the Sahara (33rd ed.). Europa Publications. 2003. pp. 741–68. ISBN 978-1-85743-183-4. Retrieved 18 April 2008.
  10. "Mozambique: Guebuza Sacks Defence Minister". allAfrica.com. 26 March 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2008.
  11. "List of Fellows". Africa Leadership Initiative. TechnoServe. Archived from the original on 2 April 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2008.
  12. "Filipe Nyussi". The Indian Ocean Newsletter. 29 March 2008.
  13. "Filipe Nyussi toma hoje posse como Ministro da Defesa". Imensis (in Portuguese). 26 March 2008. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2008.
  14. "Mozambique: New Ministers Sworn in". allAfrica.com. 27 March 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2008.
  15. "Mozambique defence minister axed a year after arms depot tragedy". International News Service. 26 March 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2008.
  16. "Filipe Nyussi elected Frelimo candidate", Mozambique Information Agency, 2 March 2014.
  17. Manuel Mucari, "Mozambique's Frelimo selects Guebuza loyalist as presidential candidate", Reuters, 2 March 2014.
  18. https://www.ft.com/content/1f601d62-f8cc-11e9-98fd-4d6c20050229
  19. Johnson, Phyllis (6 March 2014). "Mozambique Defence Minister Filipe Nyussi is Frelimo candidate for president". The Herald. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  20. "Filipe Nyusi: Mozambique's 'worker bee' tipped for presidency". The Sowetan. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  21. "Mozambique general elections photo preview". epa.eu. 15 October 2014. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
Political offices
Preceded by
Armando Guebuza		 President of Mozambique
2015–present		 Incumbent
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