It seems to be common knowledge that the former first lady of the People's Republic of Mozambique (1975/86), Graça Machel, who also played the same role in South Africa when she married then president Nelson Mandela (1994/99), does not 'obsorb' the Minister of Agriculture, Celso Correia, referred to by some as the "Delfim" of the current President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi.

Both protagonists are members of the Frelimo party, which is now struggling to choose a new candidate for the 2024 presidential elections, while a third term for Nyusi is being considered.

According to Africa IntelligenceGraça Machel and Minister Correia have already washed their dirty linen in public. And the Minister seems to be an eligible candidate for next year's presidential elections. "The candidate should be nominated within a few months."

According to the source, in a secret meeting, Graça Machel hired journalist Boaventura Mucipo to oppose Celso Correia. The journalist, who will now work as an advisor to Graça Machel, worked for the Soico group for seventeen years. He left this year.

The relationship between Machel and Correia has been deteriorating rapidly, culminating in the March trip to the headquarters of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome. During the visit, Correia told the press that Mozambique had no food supply problems because 90% of its inhabitants had access to three meals a day. The Foundation for Community Development (FDC), of which Machel is president, reacted with a press release questioning the accuracy of the information.

The secret meeting

Two weeks later, the Ministry organized a press conference during which it harshly criticized the FDC. Machel, who is no fan of Correia or President Filipe Nyusi, organized a secret meeting on 29 March to prepare his retaliation.

Many 'VIPs' from civil society were present at the meeting: Adriano Nuvunga (Center for Democracy and Development), Paula Monjane (Civil Society Learning and Training Center), João Mosca (Rural Observatory) and Edson Cortez (Center for Public Integrity). Machel invited three journalists - the aforementioned Boaventura Mucipo, Fernando Lima (Zitamar News) and Borges Nhamirre (Bloomberg) - and decided to hire Mucipo after the meeting. He also works for Mapiko Comunicações, a public relations agency run by Jeremias Langa and Ericino de Salema. The agency has worked with many politicians in Mozambique, such as Public Works Minister Carlos Mesquita and Education Minister Carmelita Namashulua, writes the source.