Six parties eye Angolan presidency Polling starts on a slow note in Angola’s general elections
Polling starts on a slow note in Angola’s general elections

Polling starts on a slow note in Angola’s general elections

LUANDA. – Polls across Angola opened at 7am local time yesterday and 9.3 million eligible voters were expected to cast their votes by close of polls at 6pm.

Six parties are vying to take over the seat of outgoing President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. The political parties include the ruling MPLA led by Joao Lourenco, main opposition UNITA led by Isaias Samakuva, FNLA, PRS, APN and the coalition CASA-CE party.

The winner will be the 3rd president of Angola in 42 years of independence. Angola is hosting 1 440 election observers in parts of the country to monitor the general elections. 1200 of the observers are from the international community while 240 are local observers who have registered with the electoral commission, Chairperson of the National Electoral Commission (CNE), André da Silva Neto said on Tuesday in Luanda in a meeting with the observers.

Among the observers are the 40-member team from the African Union led by former Cape Verdean Prime Minister José Maria das Neves; and the team from the nine-member Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) led by former Sao Tome and Principe president Miguel Trovoada.

The European Union cancelled its deployment of election observers last month after Angola rejected the demand by the EU to have access to all polling stations in the 18 provinces.

Meanwhile, Angolan presidential candidates cast their ballots before noon at various polling stations across the country. The candidate for the ruling MPLA voted after 9am local time at the Law Faculty of Agostinho Neto University in the capital Luanda. His vice presidential candidate, Bornito de Sousa also voted at the same polling station.

The CASA-CE coalition party candidate, Abel Chivukuvuku also voted at a primary school in the Alvalade district dressed in an all-white suit.

The UNITA party candidate, Isaías Samakuva, voted at the polling station installed at Óscar Ribas University, in the Talatona district. His vice presidential candidate, Raul Danda voted at the Semente do Saber College, behind the Hotel Alameda.

Benedito Daniel of the PRS party voted at a school in the Grafanil neighbourhood, in Viana while the APN candidate Quintino Moreira voted at the Casa da Juventude in the same district of Viana in the capital Luanda.

The FNLA candidate Lucas Ngonda, voted at a school in Nova Vida, also in Luanda. President José Eduardo dos Santos voted earlier at the São José de Cluny School in Kinaxixe, while Vice President Manuel Vicente voted later at the São José School in Kinanga.

The president of the National Assembly, Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, voted at a school close to the National Housing Board in Luanda. The Angolan authorities said they can’t allow full access across the country due to safety.

The CNE chief warned the election observers that their work is bounded by Angolan election laws and codes of conduct, therefore they should follow the rules and respect the Angolan constitution, the Angolan news agency reported.

He also advised them to respect the geographical areas granted them to operate from. The Angolan police chief announced the deployment of 120000 air and ground security personnel around the country to ensure peace during the election period.

Commissioner-General Ambrósio de Lemos told the African Union observer mission on Tuesday that the troops include 108000 police officers and the rest from the special forces.

He also mentioned the deployment of vehicles, helicopters, dogs and horses for the security operation.

The Commissioner-General said the personnel have been well trained in handling security during elections and they will abide by the elections code of conduct.

There is also a special command post established in all the provinces headed by the provincial commanders, he added. 4570 security officials have been deployed to the Cabinda province which hosts the restive Cabinda city disputed by secessionists.

This was disclosed by the police commander of the area, Eusébio Domingos de Almeida e Costa, who said on Monday that they will ensure security during the elections and at the borders with neighbouring DR Congo and Congo Brazzaville, the Angolan news agency reported.

In a separate development, the ruling party’s presidential candidate Lourenco, in his last message before yesterday’s polls said he would not share presidential powers with outgoing leader dos Santos.

Lourenco – a former Defence Minister told reporters on Tuesday that he will have all the power if elected, apparently dismissing concerns over President Jose Eduardo dos Santos’ continued influence.

President dos Santos was not running, bringing an end to 38 years as head of state, but he remains leader of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), a move most political players say is intended to ensure he still has considerable powers. – Angop/Africa News/Herald Reporter.

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