In Maputo, Frelimo’s Candidate prevails despite the Ongoing Vote Count

During the ongoing vote count for the presidential and parliamentary elections in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, the electoral commission pronounced the candidate of the ruling Frelimo party the victor on Sunday. According to the electoral commission, Daniel Chapo, who was running for the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), received 54% of the vote in Maputo.

Ossufo Momade of the biggest opposition party, Renamo, earned 9.6% of the vote, while independent candidate Venancio Mondlane, supported by the tiny Podemos party, received 34%.

Because the results of the elections held on Wednesday are not final and need to be verified and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council, and because the law does not provide a timeline for the Council’s decision, Chapo urged citizens on Saturday to exercise patience and wait for the official results.

On Friday, Mondlane threatened to launch a statewide strike to paralyse Mozambique in the event that Frelimo, the ruling party, won the presidential election.