Ossufo Momade (Front) of Mozambique's main opposition party Renamo is seen after casting his vote at a polling station in Maputo, Mozambique, on Oct. 9, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Mozambicans began voting on Wednesday for a new president.

Around 17 million people are registered to vote, including 333,839 voters registered in the diaspora participating from seven African and two European countries as part of Mozambique's global electoral process.

The 2024 general elections mark the seventh presidential election, with the ruling party Frelimo's candidate, Daniel Chapo, 47, aiming to succeed incumbent President Filipe Nyusi, who is completing his maximum of two terms.

Chapo faces competition from three other candidates: Lutero Simango of the Democratic Movement of Mozambique, Ossufo Momade of the main opposition party Renamo, and independent candidate Venancio Mondlane backed by Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique.

In addition to the presidential race, voters will elect 250 members of parliament and 794 members for provincial assemblies, with 35 political parties competing for national parliamentary seats and 14 parties and civic groups vying for provincial positions.

According to observers from national and international organizations, the one-day electoral process is proceeding smoothly. Reports indicate that 92.8 percent of the 3,297 voting stations visited by 800 electoral observers had the presence of party delegates.

After casting his vote at around 7:05 a.m. local time on Wednesday at the Josina Machel Secondary School in the country's capital of Maputo, President Nyusi urged for calm throughout the voting process.

"The game has 90 minutes. Only after the whistle do we know the result. We must avoid declaring victory prematurely, after 15 or 20 minutes, or even during halftime," he stated, emphasizing that results should not be announced before the official conclusion.

He also underscored the necessity of maintaining peace and transparency during the election, saying "Let's ensure our democracy strengthens the development of our country."

Despite the rainy weather in the capital, which he referred to as a "blessing," Nyusi encouraged all eligible voters to head to the polls within Mozambique and in the nine other countries where they are voting.

Chapo, if elected, would become the first leader born after Mozambique's independence. After casting his vote in Inhambane Province in southern Mozambique, he called for a peaceful continuation of the electoral process, urging that the celebratory spirit of the campaign carry through to the voting and counting phases.

"We saw that during the campaign, all Mozambicans were in a festive mood. The campaign was orderly, peaceful, and without violence. Our appeal is that we continue in this manner today, even after the polls close, during the counting, and the announcement of results," Chapo said.

Momade expressed his desire for the elections to be free, fair, and transparent, respecting the will of the voters. "We want free, fair, and transparent elections. We want the decision of Mozambicans to be respected," Momade said shortly after voting at Josina Machel Secondary School in Maputo.

After casting his vote at the 25 de Setembro Primary School in Maputo, Mondlane called for continued vigilance among voters, especially the youth, until results are announced.

"Today is a pivotal day for our future. I think it's a historic moment. History is anxious, announcing a generational transition, a democratic changeover," he said to journalists, warning that if there are signs of fraud, the reaction will not be as peaceful as in previous elections.

Vote counting is expected to begin immediately after polls close. The National Election Commission (CNE) has up to 15 days to deliver the full results to the Constitutional Council for validation and formal declaration.

According to the CNE, the electoral process is being monitored by 11,516 national observers and 412 international observers, including delegations from the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, the European Union, and the Southern African Development Community. 

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