Zanu-PF observing Mozambique polls Cde Flora Buka
Minister Buka

Minister Buka

Mozambicans went to the polls yesterday to elect the country’s fifth president since its independence in 1975, a new parliament and provincial assemblies. According to the CNE, around 10.8 million Mozambicans nationwide were registered to vote in yesterday’s elections.  Nearly 90 000 were also expected to vote abroad. Meanwhile, a Zanu-PF delegation led by Minister of State in the President’s Office Cde Flora Bhuka is in Mozambique observing that country’s elections.
The three-member Zanu-PF delegation left the country on October 10 and is expected back in the country next Monday.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo said the delegation was expected to present a report to the party on its return.
“We have sent three Zanu-PF officials to Mozambique to observe elections. They left on the 10th of this month and are expected to return on October 20. We are also expecting them to present a report on the elections to the party on their return,” he said.

Hundreds of Mozambicans voted at their embassy in Harare yesterday.
The ruling Frelimo party’s presidential candidate is former Defence Minister Filipe Nyusi (2008 to early 2014) who is battling it out with Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama and Daviz Simango of the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM).

Nyusi (55) was elected as the ruling Frelimo’s presidential candidate at the end of February, to replace the incumbent president Armando Guebuza.
He joined the then Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) in 1973 when he was only 14-years-old, and received politico-military training in Nachingwea guerrilla training centre, in Tanzania.

Once a mechanical engineer, Nyusi has a sound managerial background mainly in the railways sector, for the fact that he had worked for the state-owned Mozambique Ports and Railways authority prior to his appointment to cabinet by President Guebuza.
Frelimo has been in power since independence in 1975.

Voters were also electing 250 deputies of the national parliament and 980 members of provincial assemblies out of 27 political parties, two coalitions and one citizens association.
Long queues formed outside many polling stations from the early hours of yesterday in the capital Maputo, and outgoing President Armando Guebuza, accompanied by his wife, cast his ballot at a polling station at the Josina Machel Secondary School.

In a short statement, Guebuza called on all registered voters to vote in a peaceful and orderly way and turn the voting into a feast for all Mozambicans.
“We must avoid violence that can spoil our feast,” he said.

Prime Minister Alberto Vaquina confirmed that the voting process was running smoothly nationwide.
“Today is an important day for the growth of democratic experience, we are all called to decide the future of our country.

“It is important to call everyone to exercise their voting rights because the right determines our life and future,” said the prime minister.
“We believe that the calm and tranquillity that characterise the process will last until the voting is officially closed, so we appeal every eligible voters to head to the polling stations as early as possible to avoid any possibility of creating tensions at the dying hours of the process which may consequently generate violence,” appealed Vaquina.

The National Elections Commission (CNE) expected a high turnout. In a message to the nation Tuesday, CNE Chairperson Abdul Carimo urged Mozambicans to keep calm and vote in an orderly manner.

No one was allowed to remain at polling stations after voting to avoid acts of violence, Carimo said.
In the 2009 general elections, incidents occurred in Quelimne in the central province of Zambezia, where some people who had already voted wanted to observe the counting of the votes.

Pedro Cossa, a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, said Wednesday morning that police will work hard to guarantee law and order during the voting.
Zimbabwe and Mozambique enjoy cordial relations dating back to the days of the liberation struggle. — Herald Reporter/Agencies.

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