Home Southern Africa Mozambique Elections Over: Ruling Front May Return to Power

Mozambique Elections Over: Ruling Front May Return to Power

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Mozambique Elections Over: Ruling Front May Return to Power

(3 Minutes Read)

Mozambique, a country of 33 million people had passed through difficult trajectories.  More recently, the southern African country has been shaken by an ongoing violent jihadist insurgency in the north.

Mozambique voted for a new president in an election that could extend the ruling party’s 49 years in power since the southern African nation gained independence from Portugal in 1975.

Daniel Chapo, 47, is the candidate for the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique, or Frelimo, seeking to succeed President Filipe Nyusi, who has served a maximum of two terms. Analysts say the strongest challenge to Chapo and Frelimo’s dominance will likely come from 50-year-old independent Venancio Mondlane.

Mozambique, a country of 33 million people had passed through difficult trajectories.  More recently, the southern African country has been shaken by an ongoing violent jihadist insurgency in the north.

Ending that insurgency and bringing stability to Cabo Delgado province — where 1.3 million fled their homes and more than half remain displaced — is a pledge by both leading candidates, while poverty, youth unemployment, and government corruption are top issues for voters.

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The poverty-ridden country has 17 million voters, who will elect 250 members in parliament and provincial assemblies. Last year’s local elections in Mozambique faced serious allegations of vote-rigging and fraud, which resulted in violent protests in the capital, Maputo, and its surroundings. This time, the concerns seem to be less intense.