2014 Mozambican General Election Wednesday Oct 15,2014

 

Elections are being held held in Mozambique, with the governing Frelimo party facing a tough challenge from longstanding opponent, Renamo.
 

Frelimo has dominated the country's politics since independence from Portugal in 1975, but the last-minute entry of Renamo makes the presidential vote too tight to call.

Mozambique was battered by 16 years of conflict between Frelimo and Renamo, which ended in 1992, after the deaths of an estimated one million people.

President Armando Guebuza (left) and former Renamo rebel leader Afonso Dhlakama
 
Incumbent president Armando Guebuza is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term. 

More than 10.7 million people are registered to vote in the country's 11 provinces, as well as more than 89,500 Mozambicans in the diaspora

The European Union is sending election observers, as is the US-based Carter Center, the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and the African Union

Presidential Candidates

• Filipe Nyusi (Frelimo) is a former defence minister, running on a "continuity ticket". His main campaign pledge is to mechanise the underdeveloped agricultural sector, redistribute wealth and tackle mass youth unemployment
• Afonso Dhlakama (Renamo) is a veteran opposition leader who joined the presidential race at the last minute after emerging from hiding in the Gorongosa mountains of central Mozambique in September to sign a peace deal with Mr Guebeza
• Daviz Simango (MDM) only formed his party in 2009 after breaking away from Renamo