Mozambique’s ruling party, Frelimo, is leading in provisional election results across all 11 provinces, following the October 9 polls.
The party’s presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, is expected to win, extending Frelimo’s dominance since 1975.
However, opposition parties have raised concerns of electoral fraud, with independent candidate Venancio Mondlane claiming he is ahead based on his own tally. Mondlane has called for a nationwide strike on October 21, accusing Frelimo of clinging to power and controlling key sectors like finance, oil, and gas.
Lutero Simango, another presidential candidate from the Democratic Movement of Mozambique, announced plans to challenge the results in court.
Election observers, including the International Republican Institute, have flagged irregularities, citing issues such as vote buying and inflated voter rolls in Frelimo strongholds. Despite these accusations, Frelimo has denied any wrongdoing.
Full results are expected on October 24, while street protests have already been reported in Nampula, with concerns about potential violent crackdowns by police.
