By Raúl Diniz
Africa-Press – Angola. Adalberto teaches a lesson in leadership, while Higino stumbles over the past—and João Lourenço lies shamelessly. The week that began was filled with tremendous emotions, with both convex and nonconvex facts.
On the one hand, we had the public announcement by Higino Carneiro, who emerged from deplorable ostracism and proposed to run for the MPLA’s top seat.
On the other hand, we watched live the president of UNITA, Adalberto Costa Júnior, who intelligently spoke and publicized, with extreme skill, his political, social and economic plan, with intelligence, mastery and pragmatism.
Talking about the communication made by Higino Carneiro is only worth considering the motivation he demonstrated in wanting to run for president of the MPLA.
However, it lacked intellectual productivity — especially when it came to proposals that would help to take advantage of the stagnation in which it found itself.
The General’s speech lacked bold proposals.
Above all, there was no sense of any serious break with the party’s past or present.
The General hesitated and repeated himself too much. In short, he brought nothing new that would help change the country’s political-party landscape.
Angola no longer has room for talking crickets with aspirations to be the head of the farm called Angola.
Where are the proposals? Where are the innovative incentives?
Speaking of innovative proposals, that was precisely what we heard — and felt — in the interview that UNITA president Adalberto Costa Júnior gave to journalist and economist Carlos Rosado de Carvalho.
There, yes. We listened attentively to a true leader, with an impressive and well-structured government program. Above all, the UNITA leader brought courageous truths to the public—truths we have never heard from any of João Lourenço’s followers, much less from members of the domesticated opposition.
The regime tried to buy the UNITA leader in exchange for a third term.
What was heard was, in fact, a master class on economics, finance and political-administrative alignment.
Regarding General Higino Carneiro’s statement, once again there was a lack of a firm stance in the face of the current president’s abuses.
The weary old general lacked the courage to rescue the militants, who were starved of food and freedom, from their misery.
He lacked, in truth, courage—a courage stifled by fear.
With this kind of old-school DIP language, Higino won’t convince anyone that there will be any real change within the party.
However, he already has the benefit of the doubt.
Now it remains to promise that it will put an end to electoral theft.
It remains to be seen whether he will move his bench in Parliament to run with the “Manicos” of life in the direction of the CNE.
By avoiding mentioning the major conflict that pits the people against the MPLA, he is making a serious mistake for anyone who wants to be president of Angola.
The country can’t take any more of the same. An incompetent general leaves, and another gallant cricket comes in who talks a lot but says nothing concrete.
The MPLA cannot continue to be a refuge for generals who speak without commitment and without the humility to provide true public service.
What if the MPLA loses the elections?
What will the general candidate say?
Will you roast UNITA, as in the past, or will you accept the results?
All of this should have been clear in his first statement.
It is important to have a generalist and transversal position when it comes to a candidacy that promises a change in the leadership of the MPLA.
As for UNITA, I urge its members to be proud of the great politician they have as president and to honor the memory of Dr. Jonas Malheiro Savimbi by re-electing engineer Adalberto Costa Júnior as president of your party.
As an Angolan and a member of the MPLA for 53 years, I can cordially state:
I have great appreciation and pride in the Angolan that UNITA has as president.
To conclude, I leave here a reply to the occupant of the Presidency of the Republic and his staff: do not insult the people with your infamous political maneuvers.
Every Angolan who has followed, past and present, the regime’s exchanges and deals — especially since 1992 — knows well that it is common practice for the MPLA to buy consciences to applaud its excesses.
Therefore, it is very ugly for the usurper to try to deceive Angolans with blatant lies — especially lying with the intention of deceiving a people who are already too suspicious.
The president of the MPLA, who was the party’s secretary-general at the time, helped facilitate the purchase of high-ranking UNITA figures to reinforce the authenticity of the massive electoral fraud of 1992.
At that time, Mr. N’Zau Puna (former UNITA general secretary), Tony da Costa Fernandes (Foreign Affairs secretary), Paulo Tchipilica, George Chicote, among other UNITA cadres, were bought.
The MPLA has continued this practice to this day.
How can you not believe that they tried to buy the current leader of UNITA?
The people are well aware of the party-state’s strengths in this matter.
We are tired of this recurring cynicism from the MPLA.
They may fool some of the people some of the time, but they cannot fool all of the people all of the time.
It is time for reflection within the MPLA.
We are together.
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