Daniel Chapo will succeed President Filipe Nyusi in January to become Mozambique's next president.

Mozambique's National Electoral Commission (CNE) on Thursday announced 47-year-old Chapo, from the ruling Frelimo party, won the country's presidential election. 

Chapo was relatively unknown and had little experience in national politics before his surprise pick as the candidate for the left-wing party, which has held power in the southern African country since independence from Portugal in 1975. 

However, he has successfully led Frelimo to electoral victory, extending its rule to over five decades.

Vote fraud allegations

His election, however, is facing contestation from the opposition, which is alleging fraud.

Chapo won 70.67% of the vote compared to 20.32% for his main opponent, independent candidate Venancio Mondlane, who is popular among the country's discontented youth. Opposition party Renamo's candidate Ossufo Momade came third with 5.81%.

Mondlane, 50, who is backed by the Podemos party claimed that he won the vote, alleging electoral fraud and manipulation in favour of Frelimo.

"We reject outright, categorically and absolutely the results presented," Mondlane said as he called for demonstrations. "We reject these results. We want to make it very clear to our people. They are totally false results."

Mozambican political scientist Jose Jaime Macuane told DW that the country is at a crossroads.

"It's an extremely sensitive situation at the moment because we know that we are already at a high level of polarization in the country, in which the actors are becoming more and more extreme, especially those who took part in the main elections," Macuane said.

EU officials have raised concerns about the polls' legitimacy, noting "irregularities during counting and unjustified alteration of election results at polling station and district level." They also stressed that the numbers did not "add up" across about a third of recounts.

Chapo is set to succeed outgoing President Nyusi, who is stepping down after serving the maximum two terms allowed under the Mozambican constitution. 

Macuane said that before Chapo takes over as president, the ongoing disagreements over the election results need to be resolved.

"As we all know, these are contested elections because of the irregularities that have been pointed out by parties and observers," he said.

"It's a worrying scenario, which is not good and which requires greater moderation on the part of the players in an attempt to find some room for negotiation."

Early days in politics

Chapo only got into politics in 2009 with the Frelimo party. His first appointment was as an administrator of the district of Nacala-a-Velha, and he served from 2015 in Palma. 

Most recently, he has served as governor of Mozambique's southern province of Inhambane since 2016.

"Mozambique doesn't develop with street demonstrations," Chapo told his supporters after the election results were announced.

"We develop Mozambique with peace, with dialogue, with harmony, with security and by talking. You don't win elections by being a One Man Show."

Chapo's broad support

Celso Correia, a member of the current government and an ally of Nyusi told DW that Chapo was set to make a difference.

"The majority of the electorate identifies with [him]. He is an older candidate with a lot of energy," he said, comparing him with his rival Mondlane, who holds much sway with many of the country's young voters.

He said all young people needed to "reflect on this commitment that Frelimo has made for the coming years" by picking Chapo as its candidate.

President Nyusi has also spoken fondly of him, declaring his belief in his candidature.

"I trust Chapo," Nyusi said just before the election on October 9. "He will build schools and roads and other infrastructure that the other candidates would not do."

Chapo also enjoys support from former Mozambican presidents Joaquim Chissano and Armando Guebuza.

The former TV presenter, who is also a lawyer, is considered by some analysts as a business-friendly candidate.

They say that he is prepared to fight against Islamist insurgents in the country's northern province of Cabo Delgado, which has halted multi-billion dollar gas projects and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. 

"We will continue to work so Mozambique stays a country of peace, including in Cabo Delgado," Chapo said at his final rally. "We want to continue fighting against terrorism."

Chapo is set to become the first president not to have been a fighter during the 16-year civil war between Frelimo and Renamo, which claimed around a million lives.

Edited by: Keith Walker