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    Mozambique Nyusi Wins Landslide Election

Summary

The result ensures the continuation of the presidency of a major new gas producing nation.

by: William Powell

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Natural Gas & LNG News, Africa, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Corporate, Exploration & Production, Import/Export, Political, Elections, News By Country, Mozambique

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Mozambique Nyusi Wins Landslide Election

Mozambique's president Filipe Nyusi won a landslide election victory, meaning an unbroken rule for his Frelimo party since the country became independent in 1975. The opposition have called the result, in which Nyusi won 73% of the vote and the opposition Renamo party won none of the country's ten provinces, a major fraud. 

An observer mission sent by the European Union appeared to agree, saying that the elections had been held in a "climate of fear," and Frelimo had used state money to fund its campaign, the Financial Times reported October 28.

Renamo had expected to win at least two provinces after a constitutional change to the voting practice, but fictitious Frelimo voters frustrated that outcome. Frelimo also won over two thirds of the seats in the parliament, giving the possibility of raising the limit of two terms for a president.

The country is expected to enter the LNG exporters' club in the next few years, as two land-based and one floating LNG project come on line. These are expected to bring in enough money to turn around the economy, one of Africa's weakest. The challenge will be to ensure the wealth trickles down through the country, although as a first step, the projects will both create thousands of jobs.

Andrew Seck, who is running the project now for French Total, told the Oil & Money conference in London early October that the team discounted the modular approach to liquefaction, as there was a large labour force to be drawn on. So the 12.8mn metric tons/year project, for which the final investment decision has been taken, will be stick-built onsite.

The other land-based project is a little larger, at 15.2mn mt/year, and for that, the final investment decision is expected in a few months. Unlike Total's where most of the output has been pre-sold to ensure financing, the Rovuma LNG project is to be funded by the equity partners: ExxonMobil, Eni – which is also building the floating Coral LNG project – China National Petroleum Corp, Portuguese Galp, Kogas and state oil company ENH. 

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