Filipe Nyusi

Filipe Nyusi
4th President of Mozambique
Assumed office
15 January 2015
Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosário
Preceded by Armando Guebuza
Minister of National Defence
In office
27 March 2008 – 14 March 2014[1]
Preceded by Tobias Joaquim Dai
Succeeded by Agostinho Mondlane
Personal details
Born (1959-02-09) 9 February 1959
Mueda, Cabo Delgado,
Portuguese Mozambique
Nationality Mozambican
Political party FRELIMO
Spouse(s) Isaura Nyusi
Children 4
Alma mater Brno University of Technology
University of Manchester
Profession Mechanical engineer
Website www.nyusi.org.mz

Filipe Jacinto Nyusi (Portuguese pronunciation: [fiˈlipɨ ʒɐˈsĩtu ˈɲusi], born 9 February 1959), also spelt Nyussi,[2] is 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]

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 fourteen and received political and military training at Nachingwea in Tanzania.[5]

In 1990, he completed his mechanical engineering degree at Brno University of Technology in Czechoslovakia.[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, Nyussi 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, Nyussi 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.

Nyussi took office as Minister of Defense on 27 March 2008, succeeding Tobias Joaquim Dai.[14] Nyussi'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, Nyussi 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 Nyussi 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 Nyussi 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 Nyussi 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]

Presidency (2015–present)

Nyusi with Indian PM Modi

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.[18] He is married to Isaura Nyusi and has four children, two of which are called Florindo and Angelino. Angelino is 15 years of age.[6][19]

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. 1 2 "Filipe Nyusi: Mozambique's 'worker bee' tipped for presidency". The Sowetan. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "Mozambique Presidential candidate profiles". SABC. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "Mozambique; Train Crash Caused By Negligence". allAfrica.com. 2002-10-05.
  9. ↑ "Mozambique". Africa South of the Sahara (33rd ed.). Europa Publications. 2003. pp. 741–68. ISBN 978-1-85743-183-4. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  10. 1 2 "Mozambique: Guebuza Sacks Defence Minister". allAfrica.com. 2008-03-26. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  11. 1 2 "List of Fellows". Africa Leadership Initiative. TechnoServe. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
  12. 1 2 "Filipe Nyussi". The Indian Ocean Newsletter. 2008-03-29.
  13. ↑ "Filipe Nyussi toma hoje posse como Ministro da Defesa". Imensis (in Portuguese). 2008-03-26. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
  14. ↑ "Mozambique: New Ministers Sworn in". allAfrica.com. 2008-03-27. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  15. ↑ "Mozambique defence minister axed a year after arms depot tragedy". International News Service. 2008-03-26. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  16. 1 2 "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. ↑ Johnson, Phyllis (6 March 2014). "Mozambique Defence Minister Filipe Nyussi is Frelimo candidate for president". The Herald (Zimbabwe). Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  19. ↑ "Mozambique general elections photo preview". epa.eu. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Armando Guebuza		 President of Mozambique
2015–present 		Incumbent
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