Mozambique votes for president as longtime ruling party faces new challenger

Mozambique is voting for a new president on Wednesday in an election anticipated to extend the ruling party’s 49-year dominance, despite opposition claims of electoral manipulation.

“I trust the electoral process, but not those overseeing it,” said Venancio Mondlane, an independent candidate new to national politics and viewed as the main challenger to the ruling party’s candidate, Daniel Chapo.

Mondlane, along with two other candidates, expressed concerns about the election’s fairness after polls opened, alleging that some of their representatives were denied accreditation to monitor the voting process.

The ruling party, the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo), has consistently denied accusations of election rigging. This leftist party has been in power since the country gained independence from Portugal in 1975.

Chapo, 47, aims to succeed President Filipe Nyusi, who is completing his maximum of two terms. Mondlane, aged 50, has galvanized disillusioned youth in a nation rich in natural resources but plagued by instability, climate challenges, and high unemployment.

This election year will be a significant test for democracy in the region. Both leading candidates have pledged to address the insurgency and restore stability in Cabo Delgado province, where a multi-billion-dollar natural gas project has been hindered by violence.

“All Mozambicans have high hopes for the new president,” said 69-year-old Baptista Antonio after casting his vote in Maputo. “I’ve witnessed many changes in this country, from war to development. It’s a work in progress, and challenges remain.”

Vote counting will commence after polls close in this one-day election. The results must be submitted to the Constitutional Council within 15 days for validation. Approximately 17 million citizens are registered to vote.

The election’s credibility is under scrutiny, as Frelimo has faced accusations of ballot-stuffing and result manipulation in past elections, including local elections last year. Analyst Borges Nhamire from the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa indicated that similar issues are expected in this election, stating, “In Mozambique, the declared winner isn’t always the true winner.”

Regional and international observers, including teams from the European Union and African Union, are monitoring the election.

Frelimo established a de facto one-party state after independence and fought a civil war against the rebel Mozambique National Resistance (Renamo) for 15 years. The first elections were held in 1994 following a peace agreement. Renamo is contesting this election, with Ossufo Momade, a former military commander, as its presidential candidate. Although a fragile peace was established, tensions have persisted, with a renewed outbreak of violence in 2013. However, a new peace agreement was signed in 2019.

This election marks the first in Mozambique without armed groups connected to political parties, following successful disarmament efforts.

The fourth presidential candidate is Lutero Simango of the Mozambique Democratic Movement, regarded as an outsider.

Chapo praised the peaceful campaign period as he voted in Inhambane, stating, “I thank all Mozambicans for this opportunity.”

Mondlane, who split from Renamo and is now backed by a new party after his previous alliance was barred from participating, has attracted significant crowds, presenting a fresh challenge to Frelimo, which has historically won elections by wide margins.

In the last election, Frelimo won over 70% of the vote. The Pangea risk company has indicated that Chapo’s candidacy has been “carefully stage-managed” by Frelimo.

If elected, Chapo, a law professor and former governor of the tourism-rich Inhambane province, would be Mozambique’s first leader born after independence.