Mozambique’s ruling Frelimo party has chosen regional governor Daniel Chapo as its new leader, making him the successor to President Filipe Nyusi if the party wins this year’s elections, Nyusi said late on Sunday.
Frelimo’s central committee elected Chapo over three other internal candidates, in a surprise move that followed two days of intense debate, a high number of spoiled ballot papers and the withdrawal of his closest rival.
“With the election of its candidate for president, Frelimo took an important step to prepare for victory in the October elections,” Nyusi said on Sunday night at the end of an extraordinary party congress near the capital Maputo.
Frelimo has won every national election since the end of the war for independence from Portugal in 1975 and also controls a large majority of local authorities.
The constitution prevents Nyusi, 65, from seeking a third term when Mozambicans vote on October 9 to choose their president, parliament and provincial authorities.
Nyusi urged Frelimo to “give Daniel Chapo all our support”, after an internal election that saw Chapo’s closest rival, Roque Silva, withdraw from the race at the last minute and resign from his post as Frelimo secretary general.
“We must focus on preparing the process for him,” Nyusi said.
As campaigning intensifies in the lead-up to the election, the Mozambique Ruling Party will seek to articulate its policies and engage with voters on key issues. Ultimately, the outcome of the election will not only determine the country’s leadership but also shape its trajectory in the years to come.
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