Caldeirão da Beira hosts the “National Council of ANAMOLA” (New emergency, new challenge in the political arena in Mozambique)

Paulo Vilanculo"

From September 20th to 22nd, the city of Beira will host a moment that promises to reconfigure the Mozambican political landscape: the National Council of the newly created ANAMOLA party, led by Venâncio Mondlane. The announcement of the meeting did not go unnoticed; attention turned to Beira as a symbolic site of political contestation, a space of social and political tension, a laboratory where ruptures and reinventions are tested on the national stage. "A melting pot of democracy with structuring milestones of political transformation and a truly liberated democratic population, with a stronger and more consolidated civic spirit, it is a tribute to democracy," said Mondlane. The choice of Beira is no coincidence, according to Venâncio Mondlane Bila: "Beira was chosen for economic reasons, in keeping with its centralized geographic location within the vast expanse of the country."

It should be remembered that the emergence of the ANAMOLA party, led by Venâncio Mondlane, takes place within a democratic context in which the Constitution of the Republic of Mozambique guarantees freedom of political creation and association. Within this framework, every Mozambican has the right to organize, create party structures, and present proposals to the electorate, as long as they respect current legal norms. In a Mozambique where party pluralism has proven a bitter irony, while on the one hand there is a political monopoly, on the other new parties emerge seeking a space in the national debate. ANAMOLA, still in its embryonic stage, seeks to project itself as a disruptive party, building around a discourse of renewal and social justice.

It is important to emphasize that a party's legitimacy is not measured solely by its length of existence or number of members, but by institutional recognition, respect for norms, and dialogue with society. ANAMOLA differs from other parties only in its recent nature and the leadership that drives it. Looking back at the current government's assumption of power in 1975, FRELIMO also held congresses: the 1st Congress in 1962, in Dar es Salaam, and the 2nd Congress in 1968, in Matchedje. By welcoming ANAMOLA's National Council, Mozambican society reinforces the principle of political pluralism, which is the foundation of a healthy and resilient democracy.

In terms of form, the ANAMOLA party itself is still in the structuring phase, lacking organizational consolidation, but already noisy enough to attract attention. Some view ANAMOLA with disdain, a provisional structure with a fragile shell that will not stand the test of time or the pressure of hegemonic power. After all, parties are constantly born and disappearing in Mozambique. But more than a party's content, it is the idea that something is possible. Mondlane, with his disruptive discourse, embodies change and the transformation of frustration into political action in Mozambique. The criticism lies precisely in this dialectic: form without content is nothing but noise, but content without form is difficult to institutionalize. Mondlane seems aware of this dilemma and the challenge of not allowing ANAMOLA to remain merely a symbol of hope, but rather to become a real political structure, with clear proposals and organizational capacity.

Mozambique's recent history shows that temporary parties don't last, but it also reveals that mobilizing ideologies, when well-organized, can change the course of national politics. There are political organizations that have no headquarters, no bases, no agenda—drawer parties, temporary democracy—where many of these parties only emerge on the eve of elections. They emerge to "comply with the schedule" and legitimize the democratic process. They appear only on the electoral calendar, with a posture more of a "business" than a real political project. They simply share the pie, not the people's, but the public funds earmarked for the ballot—a kind of "political economy of party survival." Those who don't fight for the electorate, but fight for the envelope, are more visible on the National Electoral Commission's lists than on the active part of the country.

Mondlane states that the National Council is focused on the strategic preparation of the local and general elections of 2028 and 2029. From this perspective, theThe ANAMOLA party, still under construction, should be seen as an instrument of diversity and renewal, not as a threat, but as a complement to the democratic ecosystem, mobilizing citizens around new political projects, even when still embryonic, contributing to civic education and the strengthening of an active political culture, where the debate of ideas replaces apathy and conformism.

The National Council in Beira will be the first test to measure whether ANAMOLA can align form and content. The Beira meeting will therefore be a thermometer. More than a gathering of activists, it will be a test of visibility and power. More than an internal meeting, it will be a testing ground to demonstrate whether Mondlane can transform his influence into a structured political project or whether he will be held hostage to the suspicions hanging over his legitimacy. Thus, Beira, the stage of so many historic turning points, could also be the beginning of a new political narrative or the record of yet another collective inclusion. If ANAMOLA demonstrates cohesion and the ability to attract masses, it will consolidate its form and begin to shape its content. Between hopes and suspicions, Venâncio Mondlane knows he must prove that his project goes beyond individual charisma and that ANAMOLA is more than an echo of mysticism or episodic rhetoric, or he will be held hostage to being just another momentary agitation, a product of circumstance and without roots.

2025/12/3