The Angolan opposition demonstrated this Saturday in Luanda. It was the first large gathering since the disputed 2022 elections. Unita, the main opposition party, denounces the management of the country by President João Lourenço and his party, the MPLA, in power since the country’s independence .
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“ Lourenço clears “, ” The people are starving “, ” We no longer want dictatorship »… These are some of the slogans that could be read yesterday in the streets of Luanda during the peaceful demonstration, which brought together several thousand Angolans. The Angolan government is under fire from criticism, because it is accused of not acting to fight against hunger which is gaining ground and no longer spares the middle classes.
According to the UN, 2 million Angolans need help to feed themselves properly. In this country, which is the second largest oil producer on the African continent. In question, the endless drought hitting southern Africathe worst in 40 years in Angola. It wreaks havoc on crops and cuts income, since 85% of Angolans work in agriculture.
At the beginning of October, the Angolan Catholic bishops called on the head of state, urging him to make the fight against hunger a ” priority “. More and more people are littering, they warned.
A call to demonstrate launched on behalf of citizens regardless of political color
The initiative came from the United Patriotic Front (FPU) but was intended to be “ non-partisan “. The demands are more important than the political party, as explained, at RFI in Portuguese language, Muata Sebastião, secretary general of the Democratic Bloc, one of the parties that make up the FPU, along with Unita, the largest opposition party, and the PRA-JA Servir Angola.
Protesters were asked to march without party uniforms and simply wearing white and red t-shirts. The reason is that this call for the restoration of democracy, for the fight against poverty and hunger is launched in the name of all citizens, whatever their party color. However, among the flags of various political formations, the red and green of Unita stand out, led by Adalberto Costa Júnior, also coordinator of the FPU. Main opposition party, Unita, declared the loser in 2022, still emerged stronger from these elections with officially 44% of the vote.
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