A supposedly secret audio is circulating on social media in which Renamo member and vice-president of the National Electoral Commission (CNE), Fernando Mazanga, opens up about the party's internal life, with a greater focus on the latest events that precipitated Venâncio Mondlane's departure.

In this material, Mazanga reveals that he himself introduced Venâncio Mondlane to the party's former leader, Afonso Dhlakama, in Serra da Gorongosa.

He says that under the leadership of Ossufo Momade, Venâncio Mondlane held important positions in the party, including being the front-runner in the local elections of October 11, 2023, in Maputo city.

In this regard, he recalls that when the preliminary results were released, Renamo had not won a single local council in the entire country. However, through strategy, it reversed the situation. He even mentions Manuel de Araújo, who followed Renamo's directives and won back the Quelimane municipality.

In Mazanga's view, Mondlane was hasty in "doing what he did", such as calling marches and talking too much in the press. He revealed that the CNE was about to return the electoral truth, including in Maputo city, due to the pressure that was being exerted.

"These guys were about to give in because, rightly, we had succeeded," he said, noting that the President of the Constitutional Council, Lúcia Ribeiro, after realizing Renamo's victories during the vote count, ordered the suspension of the count in Maputo city.

He said that Venâncio Mondlane refused to outline strategies. "Our pressure, alone, at the CNE, is legal, based on the law."

"Venâncio Mondlane was a bit hasty and wanted what was already expected of him," he said.

Renamo's other two plans for Venâncio Mondlane

In the audio we had access to, Fernando Mazanga said that a strategy was underway to make Venâncio Mondlane Renamo's candidate for Prime Minister. This involved trying to establish a semi-presidential system in Mozambique, where the Prime Minister would be elected by the Assembly of the Republic.

"President Ossufo had asked me to do a study on how semi-presidentialism works, where we would have to have a fixed President and a Prime Minister elected by parliament as head of government. And this role of Prime Minister suits Venâncio very well. But we would have to change the Constitution of the Republic," he said.

According to Mazanga, Mondlane abandoned this plan to "want to be president, in a rash way".

Mazanga said that he was available, as vice-president of the CNE, available to give Mondlane all the fighting trump cards. "But nothing came. I gave Araújo the trump cards, and he spoke of data that hindered others because it was real."

Among other things, Venâncio Mondlane's worst attitude, according to Fernando Mazanga, was his insistence on attending a party meeting in Alto Mulócuè. At that meeting of the National Council, Ossufo Momade allegedly questioned whether it was still worth it to bet on Venâncio Mondlane.