Mozambique Elections Update: Oct 9 Vote counting started in Mozambique on Wednesday evening for an election likely to keep the ruling Frelimo party in power, which has been in control since 1975.
Frelimo has been accused of rigging past elections, though it denies these claims. Full results may take up to two weeks to be announced. At a polling station in a Maputo school, election monitors observed as officials opened ballot boxes and began counting votes.
The main candidate to replace President Filipe Nyusi, who is stepping down after two terms, is 47-year-old lawyer Daniel Chapo. He is viewed as a stable choice for business and a new face for Frelimo. Chapo’s biggest challenger is independent candidate Venancio Mondlane, popular with younger voters. Ossufo Momade, a former rebel leader, represents the official opposition party, Renamo, which usually comes in second.
Polling closed at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) after a calm voting day, with observers from the European Union and local group Mais Integridade reporting no major issues. However, Joseph Hanlon from Mais Integridade warned that counting could bring disputes.
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Any disagreements over results might lead to protests, similar to those after Frelimo’s victory in last year’s municipal elections, which were met with force.
In a country of 35 million, voters raised concerns about poverty, lack of development, and an ongoing Islamist insurgency in the north that has displaced many and affected major gas projects.
“We hope the winner will resolve the conflict in Cabo Delgado because our grandchildren are dying, and we want it to stop,” said 72-year-old Rosa Tembe. Chapo was one of the first to vote in Inhambane and thanked the people of Mozambique for the opportunity. Mondlane stated that the youth would not accept electoral fraud, insisting that this time would be different.
Despite hopes for change, some young voters, like 28-year-old Keila Sitoe, remained doubtful, saying, “We do not feel the energy. We are young, and things are tough.”
