Maputo, 09 Aug (AIM) – Almeida António Guelume was elected in the early hours of Sunday as the new First Secretary of the ruling Frelimo party in the southern Mozambican province of Gaza.
Guelume secured victory in a second-round runoff against Sérgio Moiane, winning by 69 votes to 46 in an election that marked a leadership renewal for the party in that province.
The voting process opened on Saturday during the Provincial Conference, which began with the election of the 100 members for the Provincial Committee, the governing body tasked with choosing the new leadership.
The election follows a major restructuring of the party in Gaza, triggered about a month ago by the removal of provincial leader Daniel Matavele and the subsequent dissolution of provincial and district structures.
Last Thursday, Alfeu Cuna was appointed the new governor of the southern Mozambican province of Gaza in replacement of Margarida Mapandzene, who decided to resign from the position last July.
Some voices believe that Mapandzene decided to step down as a result of cases of misappropriation of donations intended for the victims of the floods that hit Gaza province earlier this year.
Three prominent local administrators ran for the top post: Almeida Guelume (administrator of Chigubo district), Sérgio Moiane (administrator of Mabalane district), and Maria Helena Langa (administrator of Mapai district).
In the initial round of voting among the newly elected committee members, no candidate secured the absolute majority required by party statutes. Guelume led the first ballot with 54 votes, followed by Moiane with 34, and Langa with 27 votes.
With Langa eliminated, the election proceeded to a second round between the top two contenders. Out of the 115 Provincial Committee members who cast their ballots, Guelume claimed victory with 69 votes (60 percent), while Moiane received 46 votes (40 percent).
(AIM)
ZT/Am/
