The electoral commission announced on Sunday that Mozambique’s ruling Frelimo party has won the elections in the capital city of Maputo, a result anticipated to extend its time in power amid a tense voting atmosphere. Early results from Wednesday’s presidential election indicate that Frelimo is in the lead, but only results from Maputo have been released so far, despite expectations for all provinces to report by Sunday.
Vote counting commenced on Wednesday for both presidential and parliamentary elections, with the current President Filipe Nyusi, 65, set to step down after serving the maximum of two terms. Daniel Chapo, the candidate from Frelimo, secured victory in Maputo, receiving 54 percent of the vote. Independent candidate Venancio Mondlane, supported by the smaller party Podemos, garnered 34 percent, while Ossufo Momade from the main opposition party Renamo obtained 9.6 percent.
The Electoral Commission declared Frelimo’s victory at a conference center in Maputo. However, many district and provincial results have been delayed, and observers, along with human rights groups, suggest that the results may not accurately reflect the true outcome, potentially misrepresenting Frelimo’s victory.
As Mozambique voted for a new president, governors, and parliament members on Wednesday, ongoing jihadist violence continues to hinder natural gas projects that could significantly improve the country’s struggling economy. Approximately 17 million citizens in the southern African nation registered to vote, with final results expected in about two weeks.
The ruling Frelimo party, which has governed Mozambique since its independence from Portuguese colonial rule in 1975, is anticipated to maintain its hold on power, despite widespread dissatisfaction with the party. The Prime Minister has denied any control over the Electoral Commission, which asserts that the elections were free and fair and claims to be unaware of the reported irregularities. In contrast, opposition front-runner Financier Manglani and his supporters argue that he is the true winner of the election.
