Mozambique Holds Its Most Promising Election
Mozambican voters rally for candidate Daniel Chapo in Maputo, Mozambique, October 6 2024. (Photo: AP Photo/Carlos Uqueio)
Mozambique held its national election Wednesday, Oct. 9, and is on course to be one of the most influential elections since the country gained independence in 1975. This next term will see the handover of power from the former leaders of the political party Frelimo, which has held power for the country’s entire 49 years of independence. President Filipe Nyusi has endorsed Daniel Chapo, the new face of the Frelimo Party in the elections, as Mr. Nyusi ends his two terms in office.
Chapo is the first political candidate in Mozambique’s modern history born after the country gained independence, a stark contrast to the Frelimo Party’s previous disconnect with the country’s younger population. Chapo has distanced himself from the Frelimo Party’s corruption and economic maladies, spending his campaign appealing to voters jaded by current leadership.
Under former Frelimo Administrations, the country underwent its worst economic crisis, the “Tuna-Bond” scandal that in 2016 revealed Mozambique’s $2 billion debt. Citizens were drawn into a 15-year conflict against the Renamo Party in 1979, which created long-lasting guerrilla warfare that only ended recently in 2019. Under Frelimo's leadership, poverty rates have increased to about 65% over the past decade.
Chapo faces three political opponents: Venâcio Mondlane, Ossufo Momade, and Lutero Simango. Venâcio Mondlane is a former Renamo leader who is running with small-party support. Mondlane appeals greatly to Mozambique’s younger voters.
Ossufo Momade, the Renamo Party candidate, had a late start in his campaign and hasn’t gained much political traction since. Lastly, there is Lutero Simango, with the MDM Party and son of one of the founders of the Frelimo party.
Current President of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi (left) shakes hands with Frelimo candidate Daniel Chapo (right), May 2024. (Photo: Constancio Sitoe/Xinhua)
Despite Chapo’s efforts to distance himself from the Frelimo party’s former corruption, many signs point to possible foul play with his campaign, and Frelimo is again facing accusations of election interference. An audio recording on social media displays a poll worker claiming they were there to ensure a Frelimo victory, though the party has denied any associations with the poll worker. The Centro de Integridade Pública in Mozambique has discovered approximately 5% of names on voters’ rolls are fake, calling them “ghost voters.” One-third of all registered voters in the Gaza Province are said to be “ghost-voters.”
This election comes at a crucial time for Mozambique. Young voters want leaders who will actively address the Islamic State-backed insurgency in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. The region has undergone jihadist attacks since 2017, creating economic grievances and displacing civilians, leaving them struggling with minimal access to food, water, and homes despite Rwandan and South African troop interventions.
The results will be officially announced within two weeks of Oct. 9. Once the Electoral Commission officially announces them, they will be sent to Mozambique’s Constitutional Council for validation.
Approximately 17 million Mozambicans have registered to vote. Many hope this is the start of a new era for Mozambique, with energetic candidates promising reform and economic growth opportunities.