Guebuza takes lead in Mozambique's presidential poll

Mozambique's ruling Frelimo's Armando Guebuza won a major advantage over his biggest challenger from the main opposition Renamo, achieving most votes already counted in the nine of the total 11 constituencies, the country's electoral body said here on Friday.

According to the statistics of the National Electoral Commission, Guebuza, the rich businessman and secretary-general ofthe ruling party, has won over one million votes, nearly three times of the main opposition's Afonso Dhlakama.

However, the final results could only be seen a few days later than the originally scheduled date of Friday, said the CNE, addingthat it was still verifying all the data.

Diplomats and opposition parties have criticized the delay in announcing the winner as fueling uncertainty and claims of manipulation.

Meanwhile, CNE blames logistics problems, computer glitches andthreats of a boycott of the electoral process in some regions by Renamo for the delay in collating the final tally.

Mozambicans went to the polls on Dec. 1-2 at nearly 13,000 polling stations across the southeast African country to choose a new president to succeed Joaquim Chissano, who is stepping down after 18 years in office.

Source: Xinhua