MAPUTO, Mozambique: Mozambique has a new leader who is likely to be announced in the next few days. He is ruling party candidate held a clear lead in early presidential election results Wednesday as his main challenger said he would not accept them and called them fraudulent.
Provincial results of the general elections two weeks ago, show Daniel Chapo, a 47-year-old lawyer from the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique on course to win the vote. He will succeed President Filipe Nyusi, who has served a maximum two terms allowed by that country’s constitution and fifth president of independent Mozambique. The liberation movement, FRELIMO which won the liberation war against Portugal following the 1974 coup, has ruled Eswatini’s eastern neighbour since independence from Portugal in 1975. The 30th anniversary of Samora Machel, Mozambique’s independence president is being commemorated today. He died on the 19th October 1986 when his plane crashed at Mbuzini on the border between Eswatini, Mozambique and South Africa.
For the first time, the FRELIMO candidate was opposed by an independent candidate, Venancio Mondlane (not related to FRELIMO founding president Eduardo Mondlana). Though final results are not expected for at least another week, early counting shows Mondlane has edged out RENAMO, until now the main opposition party. There are repeated claims that the election was marred by fraud and manipulation. Mondlane who claims to have won the election has called a national strike on on Monday to protest what he calls a theft of the elections.
Frelimo has often been accused of election rigging denies the allegations.
Jm/today/19.10.2024
