TALAPA VERSUS ABREU

MOZAMBIQUE
Margarida Talapa



The Vice Chair of the Frelimo (governing party) group in the National Assembly, Margarida Talapa, is frequently cited in government circles as being one of the potential election campaign officials for President Armando Guebuza for the presidential election that is to be held at the end of 2009. A member of the party’s central committee, Talapa is one of Guebuza’s staunchest supporters and is very influential in the country’s central and northern regions. She is therefore the natural choice to help Guebuza trump the opposition in this area. But the Mozambican President may well think twice before handing her the job of campaign manager, as he has already burnt his fingers in his experiences with another woman in politics: Alcinda Abreu. After appointing the latter Minister for Foreign Affairs when he came to power in 2005, he realised that Mrs Abreu told all and sundry that he had been elected to the presidency through her efforts. Guebuza then sacked her offhandedly while she was away in Abidjan attending an international conference.



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