Outgoing President Filipe Nyusi’s Frelimo social gathering has held energy since independence from Portugal in 1975
Greater than 17 million Mozambicans are known as on to vote for a brand new president on Wednesday with incumbent Filipe Nyusi, 65, prevented by the Structure from in search of a 3rd time period.
Nyusi’s Frelimo social gathering has held energy since independence from Portugal in 1975 and its candidate, Daniel Chapo, is broadly anticipated to change into the brand new president.
Listed here are the primary contenders:
Daniel Chapo, unknown favorite
At 47 years of age, Chapo was comparatively unknown till he was named the Frelimo candidate in Might, a shock announcement after the social gathering couldn’t attain consensus.
With restricted expertise in politics and authorities, if he’s elected, he’ll change into Mozambique’s first president born after independence from Portugal and the primary to not have served as a Frelimo fighter.
A former political science lecturer, Chapo has a legislation diploma and has labored as a radio presenter. He was appointed governor of the southern province of Inhambane in 2016.
Venancio Mondlane, formidable breakaway
Dapper and bold, 50-year-old Mondlane give up the primary opposition Renamo social gathering in June 2024 in a management wrestle and joined forces with the smaller Podemos (We Can) social gathering.
His charisma and fiery speeches have roused enthusiasm amongst youthful voters, main analysts to consider he might need an opportunity of overshadowing Renamo.
A forestry engineer and Renamo MP for Maputo from 2015, he was the social gathering’s candidate for the capital’s mayor in 2023 elections however was defeated, claiming fraud afterwards.
He grew to become identified throughout the protests in opposition to alleged irregularities within the 2019 basic elections when Frelimo was declared to have taken 73% of the votes.
Ossufo Momade, opposition veteran
Momade, 63, has headed Renamo since 2019, the yr he signed an accord with Frelimo to finish a brand new outbreak of battle after the failure of a primary peace deal in 1992.
He entered the civil struggle as a 17-year-old soldier, rising to change into considered one of Renamo’s high navy leaders.
After Renamo moved from a insurgent group to a conservative political social gathering, he was elected as an MP in 1999, a publish he nonetheless holds.
When Frelimo swept the municipal elections in October 2023, Momade claimed fraud and known as for demonstrations.
Renamo additionally alleged fraud after the 2019 basic election, as did civil society and a few worldwide observers, and Momade refused to attend Nyusi’s inauguration.
Lutero Simango, centre-right
Simango, 64, has been president of the centre-right Mozambique Democratic Motion since 2021 when he took over from his influential late brother, Daviz Simango. The social gathering was fashioned in 2009 in a cut up with Renamo.
Simango has led a marketing campaign centered on the financial system and entry to healthcare. He’s outspoken in his loathing of Frelimo, whose leaders he describes as “thieves wearing purple”, the social gathering’s color. — AFP