The national funeral of José Eduardo dos Santos, who died on July 8 in Barcelona, took place this Sunday August 28 in Luanda.
With our special correspondent in Luanda, Gaelle Laleix
The ceremony was held at the Agostinho Neto memorial. It is here, alongside the father of the Angolan nation, that the remains of José Eduardo dos Santos will rest. Several African heads of state came to attend the national funeral of the former president, organized at the end of two days of commemorations. Among them, Denis Sassou N’Guesso, from the Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, from the DRC, or even Felipe Nyusi, from Mozambique.
The date was not chosen by chance: “Zè Du” would have been 80 years old this Sunday. Coming to power shortly after Independence, José Eduardo dos Santos governed for 42 years, 26 of which during civil war. During the ceremony, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Adão de Almeida, hailed on behalf of the authorities a man of peace, the one who put an end to the civil war and enabled national reconciliation.
Six missing children
Also present, President Joao Lourenço did not speak. His position is tricky. Part of the Dos Santos family has been prosecuted by the Angolan courts as part of its fight against corruption. Not to mention that his funeral was held while the country is still awaiting the final results of Wednesday’s general elections, including the provisional results are contested by the opposition. However, this did not prevent Adalberto Costa Junior, the candidate of Unita, the party that the MPLA fought for 26 years, from attending the ceremony.
This funeral comes after more than a month of battle within the Dos Santos family. A dispute between two of the daughters of the former president and his widow, Ana Paula, had prevented the repatriation of the remains for more than a month. Result: were only present at this funeral the children that José Eduardo dos Santos had with Ana Paula. ” We’re tired of turf wars said one, speaking on behalf of the family.
The other six children, from previous unions, did not attend the ceremony. ” It’s sad, but our family is the MPLA ! “, confided to us a close friend of Ana Paula.