Africa-Press – Angola. Three weeks after the legalization of PRA-JA and the inauguration of Abel Chivukuvuku as PR advisor, the issue continues to ‘stir’ and generate projections around the future of the United Patriotic Front (FPU). Although it is too early to project electoral scenarios of how the ‘pieces’ will be displayed on the board in 2027, it is almost a given that the FPU will face a difficult test of political cohesion.
If, for some, the legalization of PRA-JÁ is part of a strategy by the ruling party to weaken the opposition, others consider that the act represented an “enormous political gain, not only for Abel Chivukuvuku (AC) and his party, but also for democracy and the strengthening of the credibility of institutions in Angola”, according to political scientist Sebastião Salakiaku.
In an interview with Novo Jornal, the political scientist graduated from the Instituto Superior Metropolitano de Angola (IMETRO) is of the opinion that the recognition of the most recent political formation was a gain that transcended the country’s borders, which resulted from the capacity for resistance and belief of the members of PRA-JA before the Constitutional Court (TC), which had no other option but to “surrender to the evidence of the facts”.
“The aforementioned court, instead of doing justice and producing jurisprudence, politicized the matter through a series of maneuvers”, he denounced, making it clear that the various ‘rejections’ applied to PRA-JA were unfair.
Sebastião Salakiaku, former national secretary for Communications of UNITA, considers that PRA-JA, even without being legalized, already constituted the “third force in the country”, due, in large part, to AC, which, in his view, is the “most eclectic political entity in Angola”.
With legalization, he believes that the party is stronger and better prepared for the times ahead.
Regarding the recent appointment of AC to fill the position of advisor to the President of the Republic, he says that he sees the act as “normal”, since it was based on the “Constitution of the Republic itself. Filling 15 vacancies on the Council of the Republic is a prerogative of the Head of State, which gives him the right to choose his advisors”. “It is a shame that even the most widely read people in our country are getting caught up in a wave of speculation surrounding this appointment”, laments the interviewee.
Sebastião Salakiaku, who is also a member of ADEJA (Action for the Development of Angolan Youth), denies the information circulated in the public space, which indicated that AC had not consulted his peers in the “coalition” before accepting the PR’s invitation to fill the aforementioned position.
For the director of the program ‘Entrelinhas’, on Rádio da Kianda, with the legalization of PRA-JA, the “FPU comes out stronger, cohesive and with better conditions, to lead the much desired and even longed-for alternation of power in 2027”.
He believes that, in the next elections, PRA-JA and UNITA will compete together, even if this implies giving up the original symbols of their respective political formations.
“In a (formal) pre-electoral coalition, none of the political parties in the coalition will use their symbols, colours, etc. They will have to give them up and find others for the coalition, without prejudice to the identity and autonomy of each of the parties in the coalition, in order to comply with the Constitution of the Republic of Angola, the Law on Political Parties, as well as the Electoral Legislation”, revealed the politician.
In Sebastião Salakiaku’s opinion, AC would never betray his peers in the FPU, since he has already resisted, in the past, attempts at what he considers “blackmail” to not be part of any opposition coalition.
“AC had received phone calls from high-ranking government officials to not participate in the FPU and, in exchange, he would receive the legalization of his political project as a “reward”. He denied the blackmail, so I don’t know how he would betray his peers in the FPU now”, he reveals in defense of the opposition political leader. What would he get in return? I don’t believe in these insinuations, speculations and feelings of fear”, concludes the political scientist.
«He denied the blackmail, so I don’t know how he would betray his peers at the FPU now»
ANGOLA24
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