Mozambique elections in October.

Mozambique is to hold general elections on 28 October and not in December as earlier thought.

Incumbent president Armando Guebuza of the ruling FRELIMO (Mozambique Liberation Front) will be standing for re-election in the presidential poll. It is still not clear who will be standing for the main opposition party RENAMO (Mozambican National Resistance).

Guebuza, a wealthy businessman, will be running for a second term in office after succeeding Joaquim Chissano as president in 2004. On that occasion he took just under 64 per cent of the popular vote against just under 32 percent for Afonso Dhlakama of RENAMO. The remaining votes went to the candidates of three minor parties. On that occasion the voter turnout was around 36 per cent, down from 88 per cent in the first multi-party elections in 1994.

On 28 October Mozambicans will also be electing their representatives to the 250-seat assembly of the republic (parliament) and provincial assemblies.