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Mozambique election most likely to extend ruling Frelimo's half-century guideline

Mozambicans will vote on Wednesday in an election that is practically certain to see the ruling celebration Frelimo preserve its halfcentury grip on power, regardless of a stiff obstacle from a charming newbie.

President Filipe Nyusi is stepping down after two terms and the celebration's prospect, Daniel Chapo, is anticipated to change him. Frelimo has ruled Mozambique since independence from Portugal in 1975. It first enabled elections in 1994, and has actually given that been consistently accused by opponents and election observers of rigging them - an accusation it rejects.

This time, independent candidate Venancio Mondlane has caught the support of disenchanted youth and postures the most significant danger to Frelimo in years, political experts say. He also presents a difficulty to the official opposition celebration, Renamo, which was previously a guerrilla motion waging a decades-long bush war versus the government.

Whoever wins will acquire an Islamist revolt in the north that has halted multi-billion dollar gas projects and displaced numerous countless people.

These areas were there is terrorism are an attack on all Mozambicans, Chapo informed a cheering rally of advocates in Maputo on Sunday, vowing to defend Mozambique's peace,. sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The country of 35 million individuals is also emerging from an. recession caused in part by a surprise debt scandal.

In the 2019 election, European Union observers reported. cases of intimidation, ballot-box stuffing, deliberate. invalidation of opposition votes and modifying of ballot station. outcomes.

A Frelimo representative did not respond to Reuters' concerns. about alleged vote-rigging in previous elections, or whether it. would respect the results of this one if it loses. Celebration. officials have in the previous neglected or denied claims of scams.

If the results are contested, activists and analysts anticipate. protests, which in the past have been violently suppressed.

We understand that at the end, the status quo will stay, stated. Adriano Nuvunga, director of the regional Centre for Democracy and. Human Rights. However he included that Mondlane's campaign was creating. enjoyment and raising the danger of post-election discontent.

Mondlane, 50, left Renamo this year to introduce his. presidential bid. Renamo's candidate is its leader Ossufo. Momade, a previous rebel leader in the 1977-1992 civil war that. killed around a million Mozambicans, lots of from starvation, and. left countless amputees from exploding landmines.

GAS OFFERS

Chapo, 47, is a relatively unidentified figure who is seen as an. attempt by Frelimo to put forward a fresh face and attract. more youthful voters. He is viewed as business-friendly, and has. experience managing gas offers from his time as governor of. Inhambane province, said Robert Besseling, CEO of consultancy. Pangea-Risk.

Frelimo wishes to see these big gas deals and big mining. deals signed off ... (so) it can repay its massive financial obligation. burden, he said. That is why they brought in Daniel Chapo.

The uprising by insurgents connected to Islamic State in Cabo. Delgado province required TotalEnergies to stop building on a. $ 20 billion liquefied gas task in 2021. ExxonMobil. has a close-by job that is also on hold, preventing. Mozambique's ambitions to end up being a major gas exporter.

Researchers say the violence is at least partially driven by. aggravation among impoverished regional citizens who question they. will ever take advantage of their natural deposits.

The fighters in the revolt are local people who want. jobs, stated Joseph Hanlon of The Open University, author of. several books about Mozambique.

Chapo said recently that he would pursue talks with the. leaders of the insurgency, which would be a new strategy, while. continuing ground battle. He is also most likely to continue a. current partnership with Rwandan soldiers, said experts.

The prospects' economic plans are hazy, Hanlon said.

All the prospects say 'we're going to develop jobs ... develop roads, have better health and education' ... when the IMF. is imposing austerity and there's no cash to do any of this,. he said.

The International Monetary Fund said in July that Mozambique. required to manage its budget better in order to create space for. social spending, offered high financial obligation levels.

(source: Reuters)