What You Need to Know
José Pacheco has resigned from the Frelimo Central Committee after over two decades of service. His resignation was announced by Frelimo President Daniel Chapo during the 5th Ordinary Session in Matola. Pacheco's departure is attributed to a conflict of interest due to his role as Director-General of the State Security and Intelligence Service.
Africa-Press – Mozambique. José Pacheco is no longer an effective member of the Frelimo Central Committee, the most important body of the ruling party between congresses. The fact was announced this Thursday (9) by Daniel Chapo, President of Frelimo, during the opening of the 5th Ordinary Session of the body, taking place in the Municipality of Matola, Maputo province.
According to the President of Frelimo, José Pacheco resigned from his mandate (of five years) due to incompatibility of functions, similarly to Helena Kida, former Minister of Justice.
José Condungua Pacheco has, since June 2025, been Director-General of the State Security and Intelligence Service (SISE), while Helena Mateus Kida is currently an adviser to the Judge Counsellor of the Supreme Court.
According to a publication by Carta de Moçambique, José Pacheco had been a member of the Central Committee for more than two decades, having renewed his mandate in 2022 during the 12th Frelimo Congress, on a list in which only one candidacy was rejected, that of Chinguane Mabote (Secretary of State for Transport), who would later take up the post definitively in 2025.
Helena Mateus Kida had been a member of the Central Committee since 2022, when she was elected on the women’s renewal list, which also included other Ministers from the government of Filipe Nyusi (2020–2025), namely Josefina Mpelo (Veterans), Ana Comoana (State Administration and Public Service) and Eldevina Materula (Culture and Tourism).
The current Minister of State Administration and Public Service, Inocêncio Impissa, and Maria Valentina Gundana were appointed to the positions left vacant by José Pacheco and Helena Kida.
The wife of the President of Frelimo, Gueta Chapo, has also become an effective member of the Central Committee, in her capacity as President of the OMM, the Frelimo party’s women’s wing. Gueta Chapo replaces Isaura Nyusi in the position, which was left vacant following the departure of her husband, Filipe Nyusi, from the party leadership in February 2024.
The Frelimo Party has been the ruling party in Mozambique since the country gained independence in 1975. Over the years, it has undergone various leadership changes and internal dynamics, reflecting broader political trends in the nation. José Pacheco’s long tenure in the Central Committee highlights the party’s reliance on experienced leaders, although recent shifts indicate a potential generational change within the party’s ranks. The recent resignations signal a reorganization within Frelimo as it adapts to new political realities and governance challenges.
