Lichinga, Mozambique – The President of the Republic, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, visited the Lichinga Municipal Stadium this Thursday, June 13th, as part of his agenda in Niassa province. During the visit, Nyusi shared his observations on his official Facebook account, offering an insight into the current state of the national football team.
Nyusi began his message with an analysis of the conditions of the Lichinga Municipal Stadium, known locally as Campo 1º de Maio. He highlighted the importance of maintaining sports infrastructure, essential for the development of sport in the country. “I visited the Campo 1º de Maio in Lichinga, Niassa, today to assess its state of conservation and readiness for competitions. I found some degradation, which I recommended the municipality improve,” Nyusi wrote.
According to the president, the upkeep of sports facilities is crucial for achieving good results in all sports. He emphasized that improvements are necessary to ensure that athletes can train and compete in suitable conditions.
In a more enigmatic part of his message, Nyusi reflected on the current state of the Mambas, following an encouraging performance in the clashes against Somalia and Guinea-Conakry. "In this respect, we have also had encouraging performances at the Mambas level, as we saw in the double confrontation against Somalia and Guinea-Conakry," he noted.
The comment comes at a time of intense debate in the Mozambican sports community regarding Chiquinho Conde's continued tenure as National Team Coach. With Conde's contract expiring on July 31st, the coach's future is in question, and Nyusi appears to have offered cautious advice against hasty decisions. “However, it is necessary to manage emotions. The team is being built on strong foundations. Let's all collaborate, allowing those in charge of sports to handle the processes. I think we shouldn't force decisions, at the risk of confusing procedures,” Nyusi wrote.
The previous evening, June 12th, the Secretary of State for Sport, Carlos Gilberto Mendes, gave an interview to the TVM-Televisão de Moçambique news program. During the interview, Mendes revealed that negotiations with lawyer Abdul Gabi, representing Chiquinho Conde, had already begun. The central theme of the discussions is the renewal of the coach's contract.
