Mozambique’s ruling party, FRELIMO, is leading provisional election results across all 11 provinces as of Wednesday, October 16.
Mozambicans voted for a new president and members of parliament on Wednesday, October 9. Four candidates were approved for the presidency: Daniel Chapo (47), Ossufo Momade (63), Venancio Mondlane (50), and Lutero Simango (64).
Opposition parties have accused FRELIMO of electoral fraud. Mondlane, an independent candidate and Chapo’s biggest challenger, claimed he was in the lead according to his own tally and called for a nationwide strike on Monday, October 21.
Mondlane alleged that FRELIMO aims to maintain control over the country’s resources, including finance, business, and natural resources.
Simango, the presidential candidate for the Democratic Movement of Mozambique, announced plans to challenge the election results in court.
Observers, including the International Republican Institute, reported that the election did not meet international democratic standards, highlighting issues such as vote buying, intimidation, and lack of transparency.
Chapo has urged calm among voters while they await official results, but criticism of the electoral process continues from various observers and NGOs. Final results are expected on October 24.
More: Pindula News