Albertina Mashiva (C), the representative of the National Electoral Commission (CNE) of the municipality of Matola in Maputo province, stands with other officials before reading the preliminary results of the 2024 presidential elections in Maputo. AFP
Vote counting began Wednesday for presidential and parliamentary elections, with outgoing President Filipe Nyusi, 65, stepping down after the limit of two terms in office.
His party's candidate, Daniel Chapo, won the vote in Maputo, the electoral commission said, with 54 percent of the vote.
Independent candidate Venancio Mondlane, backed by the small party Podemos, obtained 34 percent of the vote, while Ossufo Momade of the main opposition party Renamo garnered 9.6 percent.
Mozambique voted for a new president, governors and members of parliament on Wednesday as jihadist violence stalls natural gas projects that could bring a major boost to its morose economy.
An estimated 17 million people in the southern African nation registered for the vote, whose final results are expected in around two weeks.
The socialist Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) is expected to win despite widespread disillusionment with the party, which has held on to power since independence from Portugal half a century ago.
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