About 14-million Angolans at home and abroad will vote on August 24 in probably the tightest, tensest race since the first multiparty election in 1992. Government passed a law in 2021 to centralise the final vote counting from all stations at home and abroad in the capital Luanda, a system that has raised fears about voter fraud. The government controls most local media. Civil society groups want votes to be counted where they are cast and not in Luanda. There will be 2,000 Angolan and at least 50 international observers keeping an eye on the polls, but in a country twice the size of France they will be stretched. President João Lourenço of the MPLA is seeking a second five-year term but main opposition party Unita looks increasingly popular. An Afrobarometer survey in May showed the proportion of Angolans favouring Unita, led by Adalberto Costa Júnior, rose from 13% in 2019 to 22%, seven points behind the MPLA. The survey found that nearly half the voters were still undecided.
SOURCE: BUSINESS DAY LIVE
More Stories
Rukky Ladoja & Building a Responsible Nigerian Fashion Brand
How to Write About Africa: Collected Works’ Shows Binyavanga Wainaina’s Legacy
Amapiano to the World: The Next Cultural Shift in Mainstream Music
Feeling at Home at New York’s Contemporary African Art Fair
Mr. Eazi on African Music’s Role in Developing and Stimulating the Creative Economy
8 Lisbon Restaurants for Discovering the City’s African Diaspora
Silversea Cruises’ Extended Indian Ocean Island and Southern Africa Programme
Events Specifically Dedicated to Celebrating Black Music and Culture in Europe
Namibia Offers a Wealth of Experiences for Adventurous Travellers
Top Destinations to Visit in Africa
Establishing Manufacturing Nodes across the Continent and Leveraging on the AfCFTA
The Agritech Innovators Bringing Transformative Change to the Continent’s Green Economy