Africa-Press – Angola. The country’s opposition political parties, UNITA, PRS, FNLA, Bloco Democrático, CASA-CE and PDP-ANA held a joint meeting without the participation of PRA-JA, this Wednesday, in Luanda, focusing on the review of the Electoral Legislative Package under discussion in the National Assembly.
The meeting aimed to strengthen political coordination and gather contributions to ensure free, fair and transparent elections. At the heart of the debate was concern about the growing social and economic crisis in the country, the departure of professionals abroad, the increase in poverty and the threat of democratic setbacks.
The party delegations were headed, on behalf of UNITA, by the Vice-President of UNITA, Arlete Chimbinda, representing the President of UNITA, Adalberto Costa Júnior; by the Vice-President of the PRS, Rui Malopa Miguel, representing the President of the PRS, Benedito Daniel; by the Vice-President of the FNLA, Benjamim da Silva, representing the President of the FNLA, Nimi a Simbi; by the President of the Democratic Bloc, Dr. Filomeno Vieira Lopes; by the President of CASA-CE, Manuel Fernandes; and by the President of the PDP-ANA, Abreu Bernardo. The President and Vice-Presidents of the UNITA Parliamentary Group, as well as members of the Boards of the participating Parties, also participated in the meeting.
The meeting discussed the political situation, characterized by increasing autocratic drift, and the serious social and economic situation, marked by the increase in extreme poverty, unemployment, hunger, cholera epidemic and the exodus of national personnel to foreign countries. The meeting also discussed the need to strengthen the joint efforts in the framework of defending the democratic rule of law and promoting public participation of citizens and civil society.
Furthermore, they expressed solidarity with the Angolan Students Movement (MEA) and expressed condolences for the victims of malaria and cholera, calling for national unity in defense of democracy.
The Party Leadership meeting decided the following:
1 — Maintain political coordination on structural issues of the State within the parliamentary or extra-parliamentary sphere.
2 — Also agree to work together to defend electoral truth, electoral transparency and credibility of the electoral process, through electoral legislation aligned with the African Union Conventions on Good Governance, Democracy, Free and Transparent Elections, as well as the SADC Guidelines, Principles and Rules on the organization and conduct of free, fair, democratic and transparent elections.
3 — Make a patriotic appeal to the Executive and the National Assembly so that, during the discussion on the Specialty of the electoral legislative package, political consensus promoting stability, unity and democratic peace is prioritized.
4 — Alert society to the dangers posed by some of the Executive’s proposals to change electoral laws, which jeopardize the free and universal participation of citizens; therefore, political leaders invite Angolan patriots to defend the democratic achievements achieved and reverse the regression of fundamental rights, freedoms and guarantees.
5 — Invite the African Union, the Pan-African Parliament, the SADC Parliamentary Forum, the European Union and the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Angola to closely monitor the development of the process of reviewing the electoral legislative package and help the Angolan people build a democratic country, free from fear, hunger, poverty and corruption, with democratic laws and strong and inclusive institutions.
6 — The meeting expressed solidarity with the Angolan Students Movement (MEA) in its civic struggle for quality education and teaching.
7 — The leaders expressed their deepest condolences for the victims of malaria and cholera, and conveyed their condolences to the bereaved families.
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