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Angolans go to the polls on August 23

Monday April 24 2017
Dos Santos PIX

President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Angola's General Election will take place on August 23, officials announced.

The Republic Council (RC) announced the poll's date on Monday after a meeting.

RC is a consultative organ of the presidency.

President José Eduardo dos Santos said at the opening of the meeting that the southern African country was ready for the General Election.

“Political, financial, logistic, security and public order conditions are in order for the upcoming elections,” President dos Santos said.

The civil war

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The poll will be Angola's third since the end of the civil war in 2002.

According to country’s authorities 9,260,403 voters have been registered for the polls.

The run up to the poll has been characterised by numerous accusations against the government trying to manipulate the process to determine the outcome.

A Luanda court last week sentenced seven activists to 45 days in jail for their role in a demonstration in the capital for a credible election.

A rebellion

The court found the seven guilty of taking part in a rebellion.

The seven were arrested in Luanda’s Cacuaco Municipality on Monday while demonstrating with 30 other people, to push for a credible election in August.

Angolan opposition coalition CASA-CE has vowed to have a parallel vote count to guard against rigging.

The Broad Convergence for the Angolan Salvation deputy president, Mr Manuel Fernandes, told journalists in Huíla Province last month that his formation would have the parallel system to safeguard against poll rigging.

The credibility

“The national scrutiny centre to be formed for the August elections, will have communal, municipal and provincial representations,” said Mr Fernandes.

“We will have the capacity to determine the credibility of the results before the CNE (National Electoral Commission) makes an official announcement," he said.

The August poll will see long-serving President dos Santos retire.

The Angolan leader has been in power since in 1979 and is Africa's second longest serving president after Obiang' Nguema of Equatorial Guinea.

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