Voting is underway in Mozambique’s highly anticipated general election, with the ruling Frelimo party, which has governed the country since 1975, expected to secure victory.
Thirty-five million Mozambican citizens, half of whom are registered to vote, poverty remains a key issue, alongside a violent Islamist insurgency in the north that has displaced thousands and disrupted major gas projects.
Four candidates are competing to replace President Filipe Nyusi, who is stepping down after two terms. The frontrunner is 47-year-old lawyer Daniel Chapo, seen as a safe bet for businesses and a fresh face for Frelimo. Chapo, accompanied by his wife, was one of the first to cast his vote in Inhambane, a coastal city.
“I want to thank the people of Mozambique for this opportunity we have today,” Chapo told reporters after voting.
Chapo’s main competitors include Venancio Mondlane, a popular independent candidate known for drawing large crowds, Ossufo Momade, a former rebel commander, and Lutero Simango, leader of a small opposition party.
In Maputo, a 22-year-old student Augusto Ndeve Pais stood in line despite early morning rain, hopeful for the future. “People my age are concerned about our country’s future, so I think they will vote,” Pais said, though he did not reveal his choice.
