Mozambicans began voting on Wednesday in a tense general election that is expected to result in a victory for the incumbent party, Frelimo, which has governed the southern African nation since 1975.
Poverty is the primary issue of Mozambique’s 35 million people, half of whom are registered to vote, along with an Islamist insurgency in the north that has caused many to flee their homes and stalled multibillion-dollar gas projects.
Counting will start after the polls close at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT), but official results can take up to two weeks.
The favourite among four candidates vying to replace President Filipe Nyusi, as he steps down after serving two terms, is Daniel Chapo, 47, a lawyer viewed as a safe choice for business and a fresh face for the long-ruling party.
He faces off against Venancio Mondlane, a charismatic independent candidate who draws huge crowds, former rebel commander Ossufo Momade, and a small opposition party leader, Lutero Simango.
Frelimo first allowed elections in 1994 and has since been accused of rigging them, charges it denies.
Mondlane poses a challenge to both this year, but lacks the machinery of established parties and may struggle to win votes in rural areas, analyst Dercio Alfazema said.
A disputed outcome would probably trigger protests similar to, those which broke out after Frelimo swept last year’s municipal elections and were forcefully suppressed.
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