Mozambicans began voting yesterday in presidential and parliamentary elections focusing on who will succeed President Joaquim Chissano, stepping down after 18 years in office. Wealthy businessman Armando Guebuza, 60, is standing for Chissano’s ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo) who faces a stiff challenge from Afonso Dhlakama, 51, of the formerly rebel Mozambique National Resistance (Renamo). Whoever wins, analysts do not see the election affecting key policies in impoverished Mozambique, where the World Bank has launched one of its biggest programmes in Africa to rebuild a country laid waste by a civil war that ended in 1992. Economic growth has averaged 10 percent over the last decade – among the highest in the world – but half of Mozambique’s 18 million people still live in poverty. Unemployment is at 50 percent and interest rates remain high.

Although eligible to stand, Chissano said he had decided to step aside to create political space for democracy to thrive. Candidates from three minor parties are also standing in the presidential race. Voters will also cast ballots for 250 members of parliament in the third democratic elections to be held in the former Portuguese colony of 18.7 million people.

A Reuters correspondent saw long queues at polling stations in the capital Maputo when voting started at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT), and witnesses reported similar scenes in the second city Beira. Voting ends today and officials expect provisional results at the weekend. The winner will be formally announced on Dec. 17. “Voting has started across the country and we have not had any big problems reported,” said Interior Minister Almerino Manhenje.

In a televised address to his southern African country on Tuesday night, Chissano – who has ruled Mozambique since the death of founding President Samora Machel in a plane crash in 1986 – said the run-up to the elections had been largely peaceful. “I call on the candidates and political parties to have responsible and democratic behaviour and for them to accept election results once they are validated by a competent electoral institution,” said Chissano. Nearly 9.1 million people are registered to vote in 12,800 polling stations across Mozambique over the two-day ballot. Helicopters ferried election materials and officials to some rural areas where communication is difficult, with poor roads and bridges still damaged after floods two years ago.

Weather officials said rains may cause disruption in the farming regions of Manhica and Zambezia. Two people drowned and a hospital was destroyed when heavy rains struck the regions last week.

Manoah ESIPISU