DILI, 24 august 2022 (TATOLI) – The President of the Republic Jose Ramos Horta wished the Angolan General Elections to run peacefully and smoothly.
Horta said as part of Portuguese-speaking countries (CPLP), Timor-Leste had always participated actively in every election of the CPLP member States, especially the six African Portuguese-speaking countries, called “PALOPs”.
Today (24/08), Angolans are casting their votes at polling stations to elect the new President of the Republic and National Assembly of the southern African country.
“I haven’t followed the political situation in Angola for a while. But I believe that the Angolan General elections will run peacefully and smoothly,” President Horta told reporters, in Mandarin, Dili, on wednesday.
He said the Incumbent President Joao Lourenco of the ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) is a diligent and determined leader: “Therefore, I believe that Angolan general elections will run peacefully, as this Southern African country has a good experience in organizing elections for many years.”
According to the Angolan National Electoral Commission (CNE), a total of 14.3 million people have been recorded as eligible voters to cast their ballots today.
Seven political parties, including the ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) of the Incumbent President Joao Lourenco, and a coalition are competing for 220 seats in the National Assembly.
According to the Angolan constitution, the president is not directly elected, so the top candidate of a political party with the majority votes will be chosen as the Angolan Head of State.
To secure his second term in office, the Incumbent President Joao Lourenco of the ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) has to defeat his rival Adalberto Costa Junior, the leader of the country’s largest opposition, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
