Mozambique’s ruling party Daniel Chapo wins presidential elections

By Hassan Isilow

Daniel Chapo, the presidential candidate nominated by Mozambique's ruling party, was declared winner of the Oct. 9 elections on Thursday by the country's National Electoral Commission (CNE).

Chapo, 47, will succeed incumbent President Filipe Nyusi, who came to the end of his two-term constitutional mandate.

Chapo won with a commanding 71% of the vote, defeating his closest challenger, Venancio Mondlane of the Podemos party, who secured just 20%.

Mondlane had earlier claimed the election results were being manipulated in favor of the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) which has been in power for nearly 50 years since the country's independence.

The elections were marred by violence, including the killing of two opposition figures from the Podemos party over the weekend.

Elvino Dias, Mondlane's lawyer, and Paulo Guambe, a Podemos party official, were shot dead Saturday when gunmen attacked their vehicle in the capital, Maputo.