Opposition rejects partial results awarding MPLA to winner

AA/Pascal Mulegwa

The opposition candidate in Angola said on Friday that he contested the preliminary results of the legislative elections, which should determine the next president and give advance to the Movement for the Liberation of Angola (the MPLA, which has been in power, with almost complete numbers. Since independence).

The head of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), Adalberto Costa Jr., 60, spoke at a press conference for the first time since the vote, rejecting what he called a “sharp” discrepancy between the commission’s tally. their own number.

“There is no doubt that the MPLA did not win the election,” he said. The opposition candidate added: “UNIDA does not recognize provisional results”.

According to the provisional results published in the last update of the National Electoral Commission (CNE), the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola of the outgoing president, 68-year-old Joao Lorenzo, has come first, electing 124 delegates with 51.07% of the vote. , followed by UNITA, with 44.05% of the vote corresponding to 90 seats in parliament, followed by PRS, FNLA and PHA with two members of parliament each.

The CASA-CE party with 0.75% (46,750) did not elect a by-election, APN 0.48% (29,740) and P-NJANGO 0.42% (26 268).

This would be the lowest score ever recorded by the ruling party (MPLA).

The latter has already lost nearly half of its seats in parliament, whereas until now he could pass laws without the support of another party.

Suffrage aimed at electing the President, Vice President and 220 representatives to the National Assembly.

In Angola, the leader of the party list that wins the Legislative Assembly election is invested as head of state.

In total, more than 14 million voters are expected to cast their ballots on Wednesday, including 22,560 overseas residents, who were able to vote for the first time.

These were the tightest elections in the MPLA-led country’s history since independence from Portugal in 1975.

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