| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Assembleia da Republica / Assembly of the Republic |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) (from/to) | 1 December 2004
2 December 2004 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all seats in the Assembly of the Republic on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
The third presidential and parliamentary elections since the end of the 16-year civil war were held on 1 and 2 December 2004. Incumbent President Joaquim Chissano, who had ruled Mozambique for 18 years, was not running. He was constitutionally barred from seeking a new term. His chosen successor was Mr. Armando Guebuza of the ruling Frelimo (Front for the Liberation of Mozambique) party. This wealthy businessman faced Mr. Afonso Dhlakama of the Renamo (Mozambique National Resistance) party, a former guerrilla leader standing as the Renamo Electoral Union's candidate, in a coalition with 10 other parties. Three other candidates from minor parties were also in the race. Before the elections, Frelimo and Renamo were the only two parties represented in the 250-member parliament (the Assambleia da Republica).
During the campaign, Mr. Guebuza called on Mozambicans to strengthen their self-esteem and their country's economic development in order to consolidate the gains made since the start of the struggle against Portuguese colonialism. The economy has remained a major concern. Although the growth rate has averaged 10 per cent over the last decade, half of the 18 million Mozambicans still live in poverty, with an unemployment rate of 50 per cent.
The elections saw a low turnout of 36.3 per cent, or 3.3 million out of a total of 9.1 million voters, over two days; the turnout had fallen from 5.4 million and 4.9 million, respectively, in the 1994 and 1999 general elections.
The local media attributed the low turnout to a lack of enthusiasm among Mozambicans for the election, which was being held 12 years after the 1992 peace accord, as well as its timing. It appears that farmers often preferred to tend their crops, decreasing the number of voters in rural areas. In addition, bad weather prevented some citizens from voting; heavy rain caused the closure of 37 polling stations, and high temperatures discouraged Mozambicans from waiting in queues.
Although international observers led by former United States President Jimmy Carter deemed the elections to be fair and transparent, they questioned the credibility of the ballot. Renamo claimed that ballot papers had not been distributed to its strongholds. EU monitors said that there were serious problems with the polls. However, they added that such irregularities had not changed the outcome.
In both the presidential and the parliamentary elections, Frelimo candidates won over 60 per cent of the valid votes, reducing the tally of the opposition party, Renamo, to 30 per cent. Mr. Guebuza was therefore declared the winner on 21 December. He took office on 2 February 2005 for five years.
As for the parliamentary election, Raul Domingos' Party for Peace, Democracy and Development failed to reach the threshold of 5 per cent of the vote required for representation in parliament. Consequently, just as before the election, the parliament will be divided between Frelimo and Renamo, with 160 and 90 seats, respectively. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 (from/to) | 1 December 2004
2 December 2004 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
9'142'151
3'321'926 (36.34%)
276'497
3'045'429 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Mozambican Liberation Front (FRELIMO) |
|
1'889'054 |
|
|
62.03 |
|
|
| Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) |
|
905'289 |
|
|
29.73 |
|
|
| Other parties |
|
251'086 |
|
|
8.24 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Mozambican Liberation Front (FRELIMO) |
160
|
|
|
|
|
| Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) |
90
|
|
|
|
|
| Other parties |
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
163
87
34.80%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
21 to 30 years
31 to 40 years
41 to 50 years
51 to 60 years
61 to 70 years
Over 70 years
|
11
88
63
69
18
1
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) contested the elections as Renamo-Electoral Coalition.
Sources: National Electoral Commission and Constitutional Council of Mozambique (19/01/2005) |
A historical Archive of past election results for this chamber can be found on a separate page