Maputo — The Jurisdictional Council of Mozambique's former rebel movement Renamo has suspended one of the party's best known parliamentary deputies, António Muchanga, from Renamo membership.

According to the spokesperson for the Jurisdictional Council, Edmundo Panguene, the reason for Muchanga's suspension concerns "his deliberate disobedience of party bodies, directing offensive words at the party leader, Ossufo Momade.'

Recently, Muchanga spoke at the national conference of Renamo demobilised guerrillas to demand the resignation of Ossufo Momade from his post as party president. For many months Momade's opponents have been occupying Renamo offices across the country, demanding the resignation of Momade, widely blamed for Renamo's poor showing in the October 2024 general elections.

According to Panguene, Muchanga is prohibited from using the party's symbols from now on "for violating the party's statutes'

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"Muchanga also used demobilised guerrillas to misuse the party headquarters and conduct campaigns aimed at attacking and discrediting Renamo', he said. "Muchanga's actions have had internal consequences for the party and he forced the leadership to suspend him from the party'.

"During the period of suspension', Panguene continue, "Muchanga may not speak on behalf of Renamo, use party symbols, or be elected or elect anyone to any Renamo body. If these measures are not observed, Muchanga may be expelled from the party', he added.

Renamo was once the main opposition party, but since its poor showing in 2024, it has clearly been overtaken by the National Alliance for a Free and Autonomous Mozambique (Anamola), led by former presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane.

Mondlane attracts crowds of many thousands wherever he goes, vastly overshadowing the performance of all Renamo leaders.

Muchanga was one of Renamo's main speakers in the previous parliament (2019-2024). He continues to speak regularly in television talk shows.