Mozambique’s ruling party, Frelimo, has secured victory in a contentious and violence-stricken election, extending its 49-year dominance in the southern African country, as per official results.
Frelimo’s relatively obscure presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, viewed as a reformist figure, is set to succeed Filipe Nyusi, who has completed two terms in office.
Chapo, 47, who garnered 71% of the vote, will become the first president born after Mozambique’s independence in 1975. His nearest competitor, Venancio Mondlane, secured 20% of the vote.
Chapo said in his victory speech: “We remained silent all this time, for respecting the law. We are an organised party that prepares its victories.”
Following the announcement of the results, violent protests have erupted in several towns, resulting in multiple deaths. Heavy police presence has been reported in some areas.
The election has been tainted by accusations of vote rigging and the killing of opposition supporters, sparking nationwide demonstrations.
Zimbabwean President Mnangagwa, who has faced similar allegations of election fraud in the past, prematurely congratulated Chapo on his “overwhelming victory,” even before the official results were declared.
Ossufo Momade, the candidate for former rebel group Renamo, which was once the main opposition party, finished third with 6%.
Political analyst Tomas Viera Mario told the BBC that Renamo has lost its “historic status” as Momade, 68, failed to appeal to younger voters.
The declared numbers surprised many, including some within Frelimo and its supporters, particularly due to the party’s overwhelming win.
The deputy chairperson of the electoral commission Fernando Mazanga, who was appointed by Renamo, said the “results are against electoral justice”.
“These results do not represent the reality,” he said.
The electoral commission says 43% of the more than 17 million registered voters took part in the poll.
Parliamentary and provincial elections were held at the same time as the presidential vote.
Frelimo won 195 of the 250 seats in parliament. The opposition Podemos, which backed Mondlane for president, got 31 seats and Renamo secured 20 seats.
Frelimo also won all the provincial elections.
President Nyusi followed the election results with a jubilant television address to the nation.
“With more than 70% of the votes, I don’t see any teacher failing a student,” he said.
The election had been seen as a turning-point for the resource-rich country which is wracked by economic problems, corruption, and poverty.
Mondlane had called for a national strike on Thursday in protest at the alleged rigging.
He said that the protests would honour his lawyer and a party official who were shot dead last week in what he described as politically motivated killings.
He claimed that he won the election despite preliminary polls showing that Chapo was well ahead.
Mondlane now has until December to contest the results.
On Monday, he organised nationwide demonstrations, which were dispersed by police firing live rounds and tear gas.
The election has also been criticised by EU election observers, who said some results may have been doctored.
They said there were “irregularities during counting and unjustified alteration of election results”.
Political analyst Adriano Nuvunga criticised what he described as a recurring trend of fraudulent elections in Mozambique.
The electoral commission has refused to address the vote-rigging accusations, Reuters reported.
Chapo is set to be inaugurated in January.