Today Angola is holding it first legislative elections since 1992. Next year, the country will vote in the Presidential elections. The country, piecing itself together after years of civil war, under the MPLA (Popular Movement of the Liberation of Angola) party and its President, who has been in power since 1979, is attempting to hold violence free elections and avoid disenfranchised voters.
Angola began registering voters for today’s election during 2006 and continued to push voters to register through 2007. Candidates for the legislative offices were allowed to being their political campaigns on August 5th and campaign until two days ago, Wednesday, September 3rd. Yesterday, campaign activities were suspended to allow registered voters to fully digest all the information presented to them by the MPLA candidates, as well candidates of the opposition party, Unita. Each party was allowed to have 5 minutes per day on TV and 10 minutes on radio to address citizens on the party and candidate platforms. The Unita party has cried foul because the MPLA government, which control the state owned media (TV, radio, print), has continued to use the media to address Angolan citizens. Yesterday, the day of campaign suspension, was the first day that the state news paper did not have the MPLA President and his party’s accomplishments on the front page in over a week. Unita party officials also contend that the MPLA has covered the capital city and towns throughout the country in political paraphernalia, with the excuse of state government purpose, not political campaign.
Angola, who’s main exports are oil and diamonds, has a wealth of both commodities but is one of the poorest country in the world. Post civil-war and with the increase of oil production (they’re main consumer is China), the country is seeing a reconstruction boom, but little is changing for the average citizen, who’s average income is about one US dollar per day.
Reports across the country have been optimistic, with no violence reported and with relatively few Election Day snafus. The capital city of Luanda reported polls opening late and other polling sites reported a lack of registered voter lists and ballots. Reports are coming in that the youth vote, whom have never had the opportunity to vote before, are turning out at a higher rate than older voters. Overall, there has been a high turnout and the Chairman of Angola’s National Electoral Commission has promised that the polls will not close if voters are present. The Minister of Home Affairs, who designed the Election Plan, is continuing to assert that polling location are secure and are not to favor any political party. Angola, a Christian nation, has also seen its Bishops urging voters to exercise their right to vote. Many citizens are reporting that the government and religious leaders, coupled with the civic education programs the government has asked voters participate in, is lending itself to a civil election process.
While the MPLA is expected to continue its control over Angola’s government, voters are merely voting for the party in power because of concern of change or violence, intimidation or are uneducated about other candidates. Gallup reports that 44% of voters do not have confidence in their government, with 9% unsure how they feel about the national government. Only 39% trust the national assembly, whom they are voting on today, which is led by the MPLA, but the MPLA is expected to win re-election without problem. Only one third of voters respond that they believe the elections will be conducted in an honest manner, while only four in ten voters believe the Election Authority will do its job to hold honest and fair elections. Gallup polled in the country in September 2007 as the Angolan government was ending a 10-month voter registration drive in anticipation of this month’s elections. However, because of land mines in rural areas of the country, interviewers primarily surveyed in urban areas only.
