Africa-Press – Mozambique. Municipalities on the coast of the northern Mozambican province of Nampula, once regarded as strongholds of the main opposition party, Renamo, fell to the ruling Frelimo Party in Wednesday’s local elections, according to the “intermediate count” of the results announced on Friday by the district elections commissions.
The largest of these towns is the port of Nacala, where Frelimo won 42,936 votes (59 per cent) to the 31,023 votes (40 per cent) cast for Renamo. The second opposition party, the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM) took only 1,850 votes (two per cent).
On Mozambique Island, which was the country’s first capital during the colonial period, the intermediate count gave Frelimo 12,970 votes (62 per cent). Renamo won 4,805 votes (23 per cent), while the MDM took 3,020 (14 per cent).
In Angoche, Frelimo won 17,269 votes (62 per cent), while Renamo took 8,818 (32 per cent), and the MDM 1,476 (five per cent).
In the Nampula interior, in the municipality of Ribaue, which has always been a Frelimo stronghold, the ruling party took 7,513 votes (64 per cent). Renamo won 2,934 (25 per cent), and the MDM 1,169 (nine per cent).
The central province of Manica also, according to the intermediate count, voted strongly for Frelimo. In Manica Town, Frelimo took 16,571 votes (76 per cent) to 4,557 (21 per cent) for Renamo, and 868 (four per cent) for the MDM.
In Sussundenga municipality, Frelimo won 9,548 votes (80 per cent). Here the MDM came second, with 1,481 votes (12 per cent), and Renamo trailed with 977 votes (eight per cent).
In Guro, Frelimo also won 80 per cent (7,739 votes). Renamo took 1,331 votes (14 per cent), and the MDM 546 (six per cent).
In the southern province of Gaza, Frelimo traditionally runs up huge majorities, and these municipal elections were no exception. In the provincial capital, Xai-Xai, Frelimo won 40,378 votes (81 per cent) to Renamo’s 6,919 (14 per cent) and the MDM’s 2,787 (three per cent).
In Mandlakazi, Frelimo took 11,376 votes (91 per cent), compared with 659 for Renamo (five per cent), and 519 for the MDM (four per cent). In the new municipality of Massingir, Frelimo took 97 per cent of the vote (7,069 votes).
All these results are still provisional, and the count must go through a further three stages – the results go to the Provincial Elections Commissions, then to the National Elections Commission (CNE), and must finally be validated by the Constitutional Council.
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