Incumbent Mozambican President Armando Guebuza has been officially named as the winner of the country’s fourth general election, in a landslide victory with his Frelimo party capturing enough parliamentary votes to change the Constitution without negotiating with the opposition.
The National Election Commssion, CNE said on Thursday that Guebuza has retained his office term by 2,974, 627 i.e. a 75.46 percent against his opponent Afonso Dhlakama who only scooped 650,679 votes, 16.51 votes with David Simango succumbing third with only 340,579 votes an 8.64 percent share of a total 4,406,093 presidential voters.
“Armando Guebuza has been re-elected president of the republic for the next five years,” CNE president Joao da Costa said on Wednesday.
Frelimo, in power since it led the country to independence from Portugal in 1975, won 191 parliamentary seats out of 250.
The millionaire businessman is expected to face pressure to provide poor Mozambicans with the benefits of tourism and untapped mineral and energy resources that have started to draw foreign companies and investors, particularly from neighboring South Africa.
A Guebuza win had been expected to reassure investors, who want continuity in economic policy. Despite being one of Africa’s poorest countries, Mozambique has growing economic potential.
Guebuza has said he would simplify investment laws, cut red tape and press on with market liberalization.
Dhlakam’s main opposition Renamo party last week rejected partial results accusing Frelimo of stuffing ballot boxes.
Nearly 30 parties registered for the poll, but the election commission allowed candidates from only 19 to run. Only Frelimo and Renamo have been allowed to contest every constituency for the 250 seats in parliament.
The elections were the fourth multiparty polls since the end of the civil war in 1992, and monitors said they were generally well run.
Source African Press Agency
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