Maputo — In what must be a very bleak day for Mozambique's veteran opposition politician, Afonso Dhlakama, leader of the former rebel movement Renamo, he can at least take comfort from the loyalty of voters in his home district of Chibabava, in the central province of Sofala.

This is one of the few parts of the country where Dhlakama has established a commanding lead in Wednesday's presidential election, and where Renamo is comfortably ahead in the parliamentary election.

The results announced by Radio Mozambique from 27 polling stations in Chibabava were as follows:

Presidential election:

Afonso Dhlakama (Renamo): 5,606 Armando Guebuza (Frelimo): 3,042 Daviz Simango (MDM): 370

Parliamentary election:

Renamo: 5,567 Frelimo: 2,916 MDM: 207

But taking the country as a whole, the results released so far suggest that Dhlakama will win around 15 per cent of the vote, with Guebuza taking over 70 per cent.