Angola’s Constitutional Court has rejected a complaint filed by the leader, the opposition party UNITA, during the August 24 elections.
UNITA, a former rebel group that fought the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) for nearly three decades, received a large share of its votes from young people who feel excluded from the wealth oil companies in the country.
“The citizens are not with the MPLA. We want them to leave!” Chanted the demonstrators in unison.
Many of them were among the young and unemployed who feel neglected by the MPLA, some of whose members have become billionaires thanks to Angola’s oil wealth while most live in poverty.
The demonstrators took over Independence Square, where the MPLA traditionally organizes rallies and victory celebrations. They were peaceful, although analysts fear there is enough anger and frustration among young people that any protests quickly turn violent.
UNITA leader Adalberto Costa Junior had called for protests after losing to incumbent President Joao Lourenco in the August 24 elections.
UNITA officials have released no evidence of their election fraud allegations.
Just over 51% of the electorate voted for the former Marxist MPLA, in a result contested by the opposition National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), which won around 44%, his best result to date.